The Winona Daily News from Winona, Minnesota • 1

New WMMK OamUy mi Tuesday, September 29, 1998 Established 1855 50 cents ft 0 -Jot TOSU 01 QW WlfOlbSO'S lit r'f i-'-; i ships are intended to deepen students' knowledge of technology. They, in turn, will provide technical assistance and mentoring to faculty members. "In the future of education, we recognize that we draw knowledge from a number of different sources It is not the case that teachers have all the information," Anderson said The $3 million allocated to MnSCU is a one-time appropriation engineered by state representative Gene Pelowski (DFL-Winona). Pelowski believes technology offers a more sensible way to implement the graduation standards. But Pelowski added university officials will have to justify that expense if they want to see it continue in the future.

"If they want to make it a base adjustment, they are going to have to justify it at a legislative session. That means results," Pelowski said. Anderson outlined ways in which WSU's College of Education will use the money to better prepare students for the state graduation standards. The standards known as the Profile of Learning require students to demonstrate what they know in a variety of real world applications. Anderson said a course called Technology and Grad Standards will be designed and offered by the spring term.

Also grad standards technicians will be employed to "incorporate grad standards content into our methods courses." The website will also be a tool toward increasing understanding of the standards. Anderson said the website could contain performance packages developed by WSU teacher education students. Students could solicit classroom teachers to evaluate their work. The website will also further the collaboration between WSU and Winona Public Schools, Anderson said. By Matthew Stolle Winona Daily News A website designed to serve as a clearinghouse for information on the Minnesota Graduation Standards will be built by Winona State University, thanks to $373,000 award to the university.

The website is just one of the technology-based projects planned by the university to better prepare WSU education students for the classroom. The funds come during a time of swift change in the classroom, as K-12 teachers struggle to keep pace with advancing technology and other changes such as the graduation standards. "The goal is to ensure that new and continuing teachers are technologically literate and knowledgeable and skilled in using the graduation standards," said Carol Anderson, WSU's dean of the College of Education. WSU's award is part of a $3. million special appropriation to the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) system from the 1998 Legislature.

Anderson said the money will pay for programs beneficial to WSU teacher education students and the professors who train them. One goal is to ensure that "model technology" is made available to all teacher education students through a redesigned computer lab. The award will also allow WSU's College of Education to couimit more dollars to training its faculty in technology. It has created, for instance, a leadership team of 15 WSU faculty members committed to enhancing their technology skills and sharing that information with other professors. The flow of information, however, won't be one way.

Anderson said a core of 12 teacher education majors will serve as interns in technology. The intern Jason DicusAVinona Daily News Ruby Oian and Rod Henry point out where the proposed bike trail will end in their neighborhood on Kerry Drive. Residents voice concerns over proposed bike path on Kerry Drive route, so everyone will be aware there's going to be bikes on that road." In laying plans for the project, officials needed to meet high standards, and keep costs at a minimum, said City Manager Eric Sorensen. Originally, the proposed path ran along Highway 14 and over the old Gilmore Valley bridge area, Sorensen said. But costs soared too high, up to a half million dollars, based upon state and federal requirements, Sorensen said Alternatives, including the cur- Please see PATH7A trail will prove hazardous, city officials contend safety is the main purpose behind the project Currentiy, bikers and pedestrians from the Saint Mary's University, Gilmore Valley and Knopp Valley areas are using Highway 14, which is more dangerous than ending their travels on Kerry Drive, said City Engineer Steve McBurney.

"Kerry Drive is a low-traffic connection," McBurney said. "The number of times cars and bikes are going to be on there at one time is very minimal. I'm not going to say it's not going to happen. "It will be designated as a bike She also deemed the bike path, which will run down a small access road, as "unsafe." Oian doesn't understand how cars and bicyclists will safely share the street The Kerry Drive access road is 16-feet wide; typical city streets are 50- to 60-feet wide, according to city officials. City officials say the y-mile route which will follow Highway 14, turn onto Saint Yon's Road and cross Gilmore Creek onto Kerry Drive is the safest, most viable option.

While neighbors such as Oian and Rod Henry, who resides at 704 Kerry Drive, believe the bike By Kim Seidel Winona Daily News When Ruby Oian moved into her Gilmore Avenue home 26 years ago, she never imagined her neighborhood as a future city park. But with the city's proposed Highway 14 bike path on Kerry Drive, near her home, she worries the trail will attract increased traffic, litter, vandalism and noise. "We just all need to have a little privacy in this world," said Oian, who lives at 1929 Gilmore Ave. "And the days I have off are the days people are going to be using the bike path." Riding Into The Sunset Cheerleaders look or R-E-S-P-E-GT By Julie Smith Winona Daily News ST. CHARLES, Minn.

Just in time for Homecoming, a half a dozen teens will mark the return of cheerleading to St Charles High School on Friday. Cheerleaders have been absent from the home field sidelines this season due to criticism and a lack of respect and support from players and fans. But last week the varsity and squads grew to 12 members and they cheered on the Saints in Spring Valley Friday. "We're going to try and change the viewpoint," said captain Angie Ackman. "We're out there just to show school spirit We're here for the Please see CHEER7 A Jt l.fi It .,3 II SIS Former Dakota mayor receives probation, fine By Doug Mattson Winona Daily News Saying he was "deeply regretful" for embezzling $1,500 while the mayor of Dakota, Greg Dobrunz was spared jail time at his sentencing in Winona County District Court Monday.

Judge Lawrence Collins followed a joint recommendation and ordered Dobrunz to pay $795 in restitution, $1,230 in fines and continue counseling. The judge stayed a one-year jail sentence and imposed five years of probation, during which time Dobrunz, 46, can't vote or seek public office. He can be released from probation after 18 months if he follows all court orders. "I'm deeply regretful for what I've done," Dobrunz told the judge, going on to apologize to the Dakota City Council, city residents and his family members. Afterward, Dobrunz, a figure whose popularity helped cause divisiveness in the town of 360 people, stopped short of saying he would run for office ever again.

"I just want to try and make the city of Dakota a better place than it is now," he said. Interim mayor Bill Shimshak was at the sentencing with council members Jerry Lehnert, Roger Johnson and Ken Simon. The case has divided residents, Shimshak told the judge, and the "trust they should have for elected officials is no longer there." The city is still awaiting findings from a special investigation by the State Auditor's Office. "This part of it is done," Shimshak said afterward. "We have an ongoing investigation to make sure everything is done." Dobrunz, who resigned in June, admitted diverting four checks for $1,500 from city coffers between January 1997 and last January.

He told investigators he had financial troubles but paid the money back with interest City officials later found two more "suspicious" checks totaling $1,400 but charges were never filed. City Clerk Lana Gerlach has since mailed the state "reams" of city financial records dating back to 1995, she said Monday. During plea negotiations, County Attorney Chuck MacLean gave Dobrunz a chance to disclose any other checks but no disclosures were made. De-please see DOBRUNZ7A Today High: 77 Low: 55 See Page 2A Kevin E. SchmidtWinona Daily News A Winona woman enjoys the warm weather Monday night as she pedals slowly along the bike path near Mankato Avenue.

Hurricane Georges blasts Gulv Coast with rain, wind Who's going to play the Braves? The Cubs and Giants battle it out in a one-game playoff for the National League playoff spot. See Page 1 III -J'l lll-IIHJ i Associated Press PASCAGOULA, Miss. Hurricane Georges plowed into the Gulf Coast on Monday and then parked there, pouring rain at an inch-an-hour pace before weakening to a tropical storm that could have a long and ruinous stay. Winds dropped to 55 mph, 20 mph below hurricane strength and down from a high of 110. New Orleans was spared the catastrophic direct hit that many in the Big Easy had feared.

But that was little comfort to the thousands who huddled in shelters from Florida to Louisiana and were expected to remain there for days. Outside, all was chaos trees ripped from the ground, windows sucked from their frames, floods roaring down roads. "In some areas, there's water to rooftops and 4 to 5 feet of water in many other homes. I've never seen anything like it in more than 50 years," said Jackson County administrator George Touart, after a tour of Pascagoula, where 15 inches of rain fell overnight Forecasters said up to 30 inches could fall by the time the storm clears out sometime in the middle of the week. Flash flood watches were issued for much of Mississippi and Alabama through Tuesday.

Parts of Florida were also under flood watches. Nearly 10 inches of rain fell in Mobile, Ala, in a 24-hour period ending Monday evening. Since Saturday, Munson, was deluged with 25 inches of rain; Bay Minette, Ala, 14.5 inches and Leakesville, 8.3 inches. On Monday, President Clinton declared disasters in areas of Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Business 7A Classifieds 6-8B Comics 4B Leisure 6 A 7 News summary 8A 05049' Sports.

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