St. Joseph News-Press from St. Joseph, Missouri • 1

,9 ffiWfSNf, ffflfife trafeSrI ssatii sfcv.a sJbwad stales to nsSas Kntj $5 Oft rumi nwids; Faster speeds to blame? That's debatable Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON Since the federal rovernment let states raise hiehwav California statistics released Thursday indicate that although overall traffic deaths are up, traffic deaths attributed to unsafe speeds either too fast or too slow are down. In Oklahoma, Lt. Gerald Davidson said that since his state raised limits to 70 mph on most interstates and 65 mph in urban areas, speed has been a factor in 30 percent to 33 percent of traffic deaths, up from 20 percent in traffic deaths before On the other hand, fewer people died in Florida, Massachusetts, Montana and Utah despite higher speed limits on significant numbers of roads. fcasasf On rural frcecy. raised to 70 in atth.

Most am la 60 Tfts 854 frartlo deaths, compsrsd sMthJQ AuA 4 'rj7 6-. 'i to 70 mpft on four-lens hfty--V end to S3 mph on twcMan hlswgys. In 4V months, deaths en Interstate Mry; feil to nine, from 23 the year before. VX deaths on fcwo-iarss highways increased 73 from 70. note.

And they admit factors such as drunken driving could be responsible. Early counts show highway deaths up in Missouri, Alabama, California, Nevada, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Texas. Missouri highway patrol spokesman Lt. Ron Beck said officials simply don't know if that state's jump is because of higher speed limits, now 70 on rural freeways and 60 on city caution that it's too soon to draw firm conclusions. Many states, for instance, have yet to gather data since raising speed limits, A little more than half the states have increased limit3 on at least some highways since Congress ended the federal cap of 55 miles per hour 65 mph on rural interstates.

Before the change, highway deaths had been increasing for the previous three years, highway safety groups Speed limits last winter, at least eight states that did so have seen increases in highway deaths, an Associated Press survey found. I Yet, four other states that raised limits actually saw fatal accidents drop slightly. The conflicting statistics have led the American Automobile Association and the government's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to EViedleval Reliving history yi ng 1 DO ut Medicare ncn marges care rather than raise it just a bit less than the Democrats would. After the luncheon in Springfield, the speaker headed to other campaign stops in St. Louis and Newt Gingrich: Accuses Clinton of scaring seniors Speaker endorses Blunt in visit to state Associated Press House Speaker Newt Gingrich on Thursday called on President Clinton to apologize for "deliberately lying" about the GOP Medicare reform plan to scare the elderly into casting votes for Democrats.

"I hope in San Diego the president will apologize," Gingrich said at a $100-a-plate luncheon in Springfield for congressional candidate Roy Blunt, "I think it is disgraceful for the president of the. United States and the vice president of the United States to deliberately frighten 85- and 95-year-old people," he said. Gingrich reiterated a favorite Republican criticism of Clinton, saying the president has distorted facts to make it look as though the GOP plan would destroy Medi- I', Kansas City. 1 -v- With him on the tour were Missouri's two U.S. senators, John Ashcroft and Christopher Bond, both Republicans.

-At the Springfield gathering, Gingrich attacked the administration's record on drugs both in fighting smugglers and in hiring as White House staff people who had used drugs and Clinton's plan to allow HIV-infected immigrants to seek political asylum in the United States. i 9 ERIC KEtTH.St. Joseph News-Press Nal Tapp, right, watches a skirmish between Tony Red- Hyde Park. Mr. Tpp heSps fighter deveSop their skills In mend and Draw Wheat during an SCA training session at their medieval make-believe world.

Ages IDWESTERN MIDDLE Injuries take sting out of Hornets; they forfeit Anachronism Society Remembers, Recreates History By Darrel Huber St. Joseph News-Press omething out of place, out of time. That's the Society for Creative Anachro Chillicothe's had reservations about the forfeit, but a letter from Dr. Donald J. Metry said that it would not be in the best interests of the players to hold the game.

Tnich of our members JO has a different persona based on the time and area he or she is front in the Middle Ages. Doug Walter, of the Society for Creative Anachronism Tuesday night in Hyde Park," said Doug Waller, who has adopted the persona of Alaric von Thurn. "'Von' means 'from' and 'Thurn' is German for 'thorn' or he said. "Each of our mem even Mongolian and Japanese. And all names are docu- mentable actual names from the period although historical names like Henry Vffl cannot be used.

Members study the Bob Fairchild: Forfeiting game "We make and wear period clothing, build replica armor and weapons and learn how to use them, and study arts and sciences of the age," he said. "We create all the garb and everything is as accurate as possible." Jo Schierbaum, seneschal (president), who has adopted the persona of Baroness Johanna Mueller von Oldenburg, said members can go to gatherings in the kingdom just about any weekend. "Some are strictly entertainment, some stress archery, some are fighting exhibitions, some are for displaying arts and sciences and some are a combination," she said. "And Please seeSocietyPage A8 By JEFF GELSKI St. Joseph News-Press Chillicothe High School's football team, state-ranked but plagued by injuries, has forfeited tonight's home football game against Hickman of Columbia.

"It would be a farce if we played it," Chillicothe coach Bob Fair-child said. "It wouldn't be a respectable game." The Hornets, ranked eighth in Missouri's Class 3A, see their record fall to 5-1. Since the Hickman game originally was scheduled, injuries have taken out players at 14 of Chillicothe's 22 starting positions. Mr. Fairchild and a team doctor believe the safety of younger Chillicothe reserves pushed into starting roles would be at risk against Hickman, a larger school with a 4-2 record.

nism, an educational organization devoted to recreating the Middle Ages and the Renaissance as they were, as they might have been. There are about 22,000 members of the international organization and St. Joseph has its own shire (community) in the Kingdom of Calontir, which includes Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and Fayet-teville, Ark. "We have around 40 members in St. Joseph who get together just about every Dr.

Metry and Mr. Fairchild said they would play the game under protest, Chillicothe superintendent Scott Huddleston said. Chillicothe forfeited the game on Monday. culture and technology in Europe from 600 to 1600 A.D., but they don't stop with historical research, Mr. Waller said.

They put into practice what they learn. bers has a different persona based on the time and area he or she is from in the Middle Ages." He said the group has Islamic persona, European, Irish, Forfeit won't hurt Chillicothe's state playoff hopes. Page 2A iu mm imm Time travel hopeful gains new fame Plattsburg honors reluctant hero Weather Today: Mostly sunny skies and breezy Tomorrow: Partly cloudy Today's high: 71 Low: 41 Cwnptete forecast-Page Two -NS-wlrPRESS-INFO LINE 364-6464 man U2, m. in Firefighter carried quadriplegic woman from burning home By OREO KOZOL St Joseph News-Press enter the house to save Christina Mitchell, a 30-year-old quadriplegic trapped in her room. The officers were overcome with smoke and had to leave.

Mr. Burks said Mr. Gorham was supposed to wait for a backup and his firefighting equipment but instead entered the house and carried the woman out three minutes later. "He did exactly what he was trained not to do," Mr. Burks said.

"He needed to do it, he really did. She wouldn't have made it if he had waited." Ms. Mitchell was among the 60 people watching Thursday as Mr. Gorham was presented with a plaque and a certificate. Thursday night.

The 39-year-old Plattsburg city employee is a reluctant hero. He declined to address the crowd gathered at the town's fire hall, and a local television reporter had to plead with him to do an on-camera interview. "I don't feel like no town hero," said Mr. Gorham, 39, who has been a volunteer firefighter for more than five years. "I just reacted." On Sept.

22, Mr. Gorham was at home in Plattsburg when he responded to a fire. At the house, a fire was raging in the basement and smoke poured through most of the first floor. Two police officers tried to LATTSBURG, Mo. Ron Gorham doesn't want to talk about being a hero.

By JESS DsHAVEN St. Joseph News-Press If he can get his time machine working, Mike Marcum can relive his 15 minutes of fame over and over. His story captured national attention about two weeks ago when he told listeners of Art Bell's syndicated early morning show "Dreamland" the machine was within 30 days of completion. Mr. Marcum, affectionately known as the "Mad Man" to Mr.

Bell's listeners, was arrested last year in Gentry County for steal-Please see TimePage A8 Index Business Classified C4 Comics BS Dear Abby S4 Metro Bl Movies CS Off Hours Dl Puzzle Television In Sports today. Baltimore Oriole Rafael PaSmefeD hits a two-run homer in the 7tfi inning against the New York Yankees -on Thursday. The Orioles won, 5-3. In Hie National League, the SL Louis. Cardinais.

defeated the Atlanta Braves, 8-3. Page CI The volunteer firefighter has won accolades in Plattsburg after pulling a quadriplegic woman out of a burning house on Sept. 22. Mr. Gorham was honored for his bravery at the Plattsburg Volunteer Fire Department's barbecue dinner.