Johnson City Press from Johnson City, Tennessee • 3

Compiled from staff reports 'Thursday September 3 1992 Drugs stolen in pjiarmeturglary undetermined amount of drugs were stolen Tuesdaynight I amrglary at Blankenship Pharmacy 222 Watauga Ave An durin City to consider smoEting ban Harmon who quit smoking 10 years ago said the proposed policy is the result of requests from non-smoking city employees to implement one Originally the staif wanted to ban tobacco products entirely but some non-smokers suggested the city should provide designated areas he said "There seemed to be more smokers on the police side with little resistance so I feel good about implementing it buildingwide" Hannon said op ing places at the Municipal and Safety Building: People can smoke in the follow-it th ling: By Jim Wozniak Press Staff Writer City government employees who use tobacco products soon might see their ability to practice their vice drift away like smoke at the end of a cigarette Commissioners tonight will' consider a policy given to them in July that would prohibit the use of tobacco products in nearly all arts of the Municipal and Safety uilding The policy also addresses other city buildings but Assistant City Manager Charles Harmon said he probably would letdepartment heads there determine whether it should be implemented In addition to employees the policy would affect citizens and commissioners The move comes about six months after the police department enacted a limited smoking private fully partitioned ceive help to quit smpking from the Wellness Center "The smoking policys primary motivation (is) to aid the non-smoker but if it aids the smoker to quit that great he said Statistics from health insur- -ance carriers show non-smokers cost less in health insurance and are absent from work less but that is not one of the reasons for the proposed policy Harmon said He also cited reports stating smoke affects the smokers health and other people nearby In other matters tonight consultants who compiled an interim report on the proposed multipurpose facility will discuss the report and seek permission from the commission to continue the study They recommend a 127000- to 146000-square-foot facility to serve conventions the arts civic events conferences and meetings They have not deter- mined the facilitys cost or a way to pSy for it The commission also will consider an extension of Peoples Street for the new mart superstore proposed near the intersection of Interstate 181 and the new State of Franklin Road the lobby ventilate to the outside and he said he does not expect them to become consumed with smoke But he said the city might need to prohibit smoking there on nights City Commission meetings Harmon estimated three or four employees who do not Work in the police department at the Municipal and Safety Building would be affected by the move Commissioner PC Snapp is the lone smoker on the citys policymaking body Community Development Specialist Danny Davis a smoker declined to comment GasMechanical Inspector David Jenny who has reduced his smoking and uses nicotjjie patches said this policy will not affect him greatly Jenny spends most of his working day outdoors inspecting different projects but if he still smoked heavily and had to work all day inside the building a no-smoking policy would bother him he said "When I was smoking heavily it wouldJiave been motivation for me to quit Jenny said "I would have had to quit or go crazy Harmon saia employees can re offices assigned to tobacco users shared fully partitioned offices if all users agree to allow it 10 feet inside the front and back doors to the police 'department inside the mens and womens restrooms between the police department and city hall outdoors where cigarette butt receptacles are available Offices that allow smoking must have an approved smoke filter in use the policy states Harmon said the bathrooms in policy Board ioard according to a city police report Police responded to an activated alarm at 820 pm and found the business open due to a lock having been removed from the front door Owner Chester Blankenship inspected his inventory and told police all the schedule II drugs were taken from a storage area The value of the drop was unknown at the time Police said no suspects are known Firefighters battle hoyse blaze Firefighters were working late Wednesday night on a house fire on Henry Street The fire department responded to thev white-frame one-story home at 1007 Henry St about 10 pm The renter Eva Williams said she came home from work and found the house on fire Piles of her belongings lay on the sidewalk as firefighters pulled hoses then smoke-ejecting fans to the house Williams said she tried to save as much as she could before fire trucks arrived Units were still at the scene at 11:30 pm Car wreck victim in fair condition A man injured in a car wreck that killed a girl was listed in fair condition at Johnson City Medical Center Hospital Wednesday Randall Salts 27 737 Princeton Road was driving a pickup that collided with a car Monday night in a North Roan Street turning lane near the Roan Centre Shopping Plaza The impact killed the cars driver Paige Proctor 17 1519 Robin Hood Lane Salts was first admitted to JCMCHs intensive care unit but later moved to a regular ward the hospital reported City police were not immediately sure what led to the accident and have been investigating School of Nursing receives grant WASHINGTON A federal pant of $377566 has been awarded to the East Tennessee State Umvenstys School of Nursing The pant was awarded by the US Department of Health and Human Services US Rep James Quillen R-lst said Wednesday The budget period extends through Sept 14 1993 he said Wife reports husband missing A Royal Court resident was reported missing by his wife Tuesday according to police Billy Rose Jr No 33 Royal Court has not been seen since noon Monday when he left the house according to a report filed by Beverly Rose The man is black 6 feet tall and weight 225 pounds He was last seen wearing blue jeans and a striped shirt police said 3 roommates arrested after fight Three men sharing an apartment were arrested Tuesday night after a fight involving weapons according to the Washington Coun of Education banned tobacco usage throughout every building run by the school system Such policies have become more frequent in the- private gebtor as well with Johnson City Medical Center Hospital adopting one in 1989 it Scvif- i II Jl NS Ill Detail At a distance this speculative building under construction on State of Franklin Road is a mere shell But up close its bare 2-by-4s form intricate lines and curves Mitch Cox is constructing the buildings shell and will wait to finish the interior when he obtains some tenants (Staff Photos by Ron Campbell) Groups demand end to construction ty Sheriffs Department Jose Netro Tony Montes and Martin Diaz all of Woodlyn Apartments No 5 Woodlyn Road were charged with disorderly conduct about 10:45 pm Netro 30 was said to be carrying a knife Montes 28 and Diaz 27 were intoxicated and verbally loud a deputy -aaid itMMreport Two charged with auto burglaries City police charged two men Tuesday in connection with auto burglaries Robert Beam and Robert A Greer both age 20 admitted to being involved with stealing stereo equipment from cars on Lamont and Hamilton streets police said Beam Rt 4 Elizabethton was charged with two counts of burglary Greer was charged with theft of property over $1000 for trading the stereo equipment for a car police said A resident on Lamont and one on Hamilton reported the loss of amplifiers and radiocassette players Police said all the items were recovered Beam and Greer are scheduled to appear in City Court Sept 10 City to offer new citizens academy The Johnson City Police Department will offer a second Citizens Police Academy in late September the police chief announced Tuesday A "We had many calls and inquiries on the program from arotJSd the country as well as many local citizens who request a sequel to our first (academy) Chief Ron Street said More than 25 "cadets graduated in late July from the academy the first of its kind in Tennessee designed to teach ordinary citizens about police work Sgt JR Ensor said some of the academys courses had been revamped "We learned some things changed some things he said "Sharing ideas methods and training will enable the cadets to make their lives and neighborhoods a little safer The program requires participants be at least 21 years old with no criminal records excluding traffic violations They must be reasonably physically fit and must be willing to attend weekday and weekend sessions to complete two eight-hour ride-alongs with officers and to sign a waiver releasing the city from liability The newest installment of the academy is slated to begin Sept 22 Anyone interested in participating should pick up an application at the police records department housed in the Municipal and Safdty Building 601 Main St between 8 am and 5 pm Applications will be accepted through Sept 14 For more information call Ensor at 928-7012 Annual fishing program scheduled The annual "Say Yes to Fishing and(No to Drugs program will be held on Sept 12 from 9 am to 4 pm at the Legion Street pool The program is for children ages 3-14 For the second year children with special needs are invited to a preview 6-8 pm Friday The event was designed as an educational and recreational way to encourage youngsters to avoid the hazards of drug abuse A parent or guardian must accompany each child and the adults are asked to curb their inclination to "help their child by fishing for them Parents and others interested in supporting the program may purchase tickets to fish for the remaining trout from noon-5 pm Sept 13 Through the sale of these tickets funds will be generated to continue the program next year For more information call 926-1781 Jonesborough offices to close The offices of the town of Jonesborough will be closed Monday in observance of Labor Day 1 The Monday garbage collection will be picked up on Tuesday The Public Safety Department will remain open on regular schedule By Kristen Hebestreet Press Staff Writer NASHVILLE Four environmental groups are demanding ahalt to construction along the US Highway 23 corridor between Erwin and Sams Gap until environmental law violations ate corrected The Tennessee Environmental Council the Tennessee Scenic Rivers Association the Tennessee Chapter of the Sierra Club and Good Earth Defense announced Wednesday a joint effort to stop what they said were the state Department of Transportations "destructive practices "We dont want to stop them to stop building the road we want them to do it right said John Sherman TEC spokesman The environmental groups held a press conference here Wednesday at the Legislative Plaza where group representatives condemned the DOTs indifference to environmental regulations while building and repairing roads and bridges Environmental Council and Good Earth Defense spokespeople also said they would file a lawsuit against the DOT in federal court The Sierra Club and the Scenic Rivers Association support the effort but are not plaintiffs in this action Sherman said The Environmental Council presented the DOT with a 60-day notice of intent to sue in early July Sherman said The lawsuit is based on what the council says are the DOT's had particular damage to them The department had no comment on the press conference the lawsuit or allegations against its environmental record according to Gwen Hopkins DOT spokeswoman In an earlier interview on Tuesday Ms Hopkins said the DOTs construction work on US 23 was in compliance with all environmental regulations The US 23 project has cost $92 million so far The segments currently under construction are slated for completion by mid- to late 1994 Environmental enforcers with the state Department of Environment and Conservations Division of Vater Pollution Control said Tuesday that the DOT is not yet in compliance with its mandated erosion control measures but the current erosion management on US 23 lacks only a few minor improvements "Ill just have to say the last time we were up there which was a little over a week ago that was not the case Sherman Baid "We saw several problems (with erosion control) Historically the DEC has had difficulty enforcing laws against its sister agency Sherman said "The big picture is to get TDOT under control Sherman said Citizens need to have the right to take TDOT and the contractor to court directly We dont have that under the state law The lawsuit was prompted by the violations wetlands he added Two years ago the environmental council toured 50 different DOT construction sites and discovered 80 percent of those sites were polluting nearby streams with sediment runoff he said "In its efforts to complete this project TDOT has destroyed high-quality trout streams-leveled the surrounding forest and plans to remove the tops of mountains along the route and use them to fill in the surrounding valleys the Environmental Council said Wednesday in a press release 1 The lawsuit will be filed under the National Environmental Policy Act for the DOTs failure to have an adequate Environmental Impact Statemeit said Gary Davis a Knoxville environmental attorney who represents TEC and Good Earth Defense The EIS was written in 1984 and then later revised without a public comment period after the route was changed Davis said "The contracts have been let but it is within the power of TDOT to issue contracts for the change orders Davis said "Near Erwin the road is pretty much done The environmental groups are calling forv design changes on segments of the US 23 project particularly along stretches where construction hasnt started yet "We want them to build tunnels instead of going over the top (of the mountains) Sher- man said "They could dig out the road and only the Appalachian Trail but ensure migratory (trails) for the black bear and other wildlife as well violations of theriederaHJleatrWater-Act alortglheTLS 23 corridor but problems wi the project are typical of the DOTs overall ''Theyre basically dredging and filling without adequate permits Sherman said "South Indian Creek and its tributaries have environmental record Sherman said The DOT has a history of polluting streams and.