News-Pilot from San Pedro, California • 39

The News-Pilot Wednesday November 16 1988 C13 up on leads Weve got so much information on them I think were going to catch these people Fspinoza said he hopes so too even though the renewed interest has overloaded the supervisor of burglaries Im getting bombarded from all sides he said chuckling Working on this case does cause problems because Ive got my normal everyday duties plus this which really needs full-time attention But I think its a challenge Theres a lot of questions that need to be answered and they wont be until these people are caught I mean who knows how many other people have been victimized by them? Espinoza is also optimistic after receiving a call this week from a Coast Guard official who wanted more information on the case because a yacht similar to the one reported sunk has been discovered in a Southern California marina Espinoza wouldnt reveal the location of the marina but said the owner claims he bought it from a man in Hawaii Its a fascinating case My curiosity is getting the best of me Espinoza said I want to know exactly what happened and Im sure there are plenty of others out there who also want to know" These kinds of shows are our bread and butter Weve had psychics and UFOs but people tune in to crime stories They love to try to solve these things" Rajter said Tuesday Of the nine cases solved case number 106 airs tonight eight have been crime-related Rajter said hes hoping for a ninth I think we can solve it because these people maintain such a high profile Weve been receiving a lot of calls" he said One was from a Canadian woman who claims that Russell and Dozier and an unidentified woman stole her boat in Florida in 1982 V'i years after the San Francisco reports Another report had the men in a Texas shipyard in 1983-84 Yet another had them owning a Hawaiian restaurant from May to November 1986 Apparently these people are hop-scotching around the country ripping people off Rajter said Espinoza said he and Hawaiian detectives are pursuing the Hawaiian lead But it may be too late as another report one that Rajter believes is accurate had the pair in England with Russell working for a boating magazine Im very optimistic about solving this" said Rajter whose enthusiasm has led him to follow tectives believe was the original one was sunk by a freighter killing another woman who had joined them and causing the disappearance of his wife Suzanne After realizing he would lose interest in the bar had his wife" died Russell changed his story to add that a third woman also disappeared: Doziers wife who was also Russells spouse That was in 1981 and it was one of the last times any of the group have been officially seen Russell Dozier and an unidentified woman since have darted around the country possibly living in Hawaii until recently moving to England No one really knows for sure Espinoza said because all of the clues from the seven years since the trios last spotting have been speculation This case has been dormant for seven years The district attorney wanted to know why the sudden interest Espinoza said David Rajter may have a lot to do with that surge of curiosity Rajter is telecenter administrator for Cos-groveMeurer Productions in Los Angeles which produces NBCs Unsolved Mysteries After hearing about the case Rajter said the company decided to make an episode which ran last week An updated airing is scheduled for Nov 23 Mystery from page ai John Farrell his partner Robert Dozier who also goes by Michael Hays and a woman who may be Russells or Doziers wife Or both of theirs Or neither It gets more confusing Even the District Attorneys Office was totally confused But how do you think I feel? I inherited this thing years ago and now people are asking questions out of the blue said Detective Bob Espinoza of the Los Angeles Police Departments Harbor Division Espinoza who took over the case from retired Detective Rex Shields received the district attorneys approval The case began about 10 years ago when Russell an ex-Redondo Beach and Hawthorne resident purchased a bar near Reno Nev but couldnt get a liquor license because he was an ex-convict Russell had his wife Suzanne marry his partner under the name of Sherie Ann Dozier so he wouldnt lose interest in the club The trio bought a yacht in Wilmington claimed it sunk and collected on the $75000 insurance Later they were in San Francisco where Russell claimed another yacht which de FROM PAGE A1 Landscape Killer tornadoes rake South Midwest injured Tuesday Tornadoes damaged buildings and overturned cars I cant even tell what street Im on because the trees are uprooted said Police Chief Darnell Scott of the central Arkansas town of Lonoke Damage is so bad I think we were very lucky it wasnt more tragic than it was Guardsmen in Pulaski and Van Buren County in Arkansas searched house to house to account for people and clean up damaged areas Tornadoes also struck Missouri Kansas Illinois and Iowa while in Oklahoma high winds caused damage and fanned the flames of a cotton fire that destroyed 20 homes and businesses and injured 18 people in Altus Department is overtaxed by the enormity of the drug flow into the harbor he said They claim to have a task force but its obvious they are not stopping the flow he said An agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration testified at Holden's committee hearing that 3 percent to 5 percent of the drug shipments coming into the harbor were stopped there I am very disappointed with the action taken by Joan Milke Flores Holden said after Tuesdays meeting She is just protecting pushers and gangs How could anyone not be in favor of getting additional intelligence information so they could be better prepared to stop drugs at the port? Flores insisted she was not trying to derail any possible plans to ask the federal government for more resources I didnt get his committee report until this morning she said I dont have enough information to vote on it By Bart Ziegler ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER At least 35 tornadoes churned a trail of destruction through five states in the South and Midwest killing seven people and injuring dozens National Guardsmen in Arkansas today helped search for people and clean up damage The same storm system left three people dead in road accidents in the seasons first major snowfall The storms were to be followed today by a blast of cold weather that was expected to drop temperatures as many as 20 degrees The twisters took their worst toll in Arkansas where six people were killed and many others As vice-chairman of the Police Fire and Public Safety Committee Holden heard nearly two hours of testimony in October from law enforcement representatives who said more federal resources are desperately needed in the Los Angeles area to stop the flow of drugs Committee members Richard Alatorre and Hal Bernson did not attend He recommended creating another task force of high-level intelligence officers from local police agencies and the Drug Enforcement Administration the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Coast Guard to fight the increasing influx An existing task force made up of members of the LAPD the Sheriffs Department Coast Guard Port Police and the Long Beach Police Marina unearthed pipes conduits and railroad ties that slowed the project said Nancy Taylor the corporations interim executive director An estimated 90 percent of the pavers are installed and an estimated 80 percent of the landscaping is complete Taylor said The street furniture lighting and large concrete planters for Pacific Avenue will be installed after Jan 15 she said Several merchants on Sixth Street were upset at the outset of the construction job when workers dug up both sides of the main corridor slowing business and even shutting down stores A few merchants Tuesday still were angry Some merchants said the drawn-out construction job has hurt their operationand doubted that the $700000 revitalization project to replace trees and improve sidewalks would help business Other business owners said they didnt mind the inconvenience because new landscaping brick pavers and benches eventually would attract other businesses Im here for the long haul said John Sheldon owner of the Harbor Office Supply It would be nice if it were done but Im looking forward to how nice its going to look Its not going to hurt our business that much It will enhance the area o'er the long term Merchants complaint For Elva Cruz who runs Tees Beauty Salon business has been slow compared to last fall But the street improvements will help in the long run she said If we want the town to look better we have to suffer Cruz said Carol Holtman who owns Best of Times An tiques disagreed Forced to close her store because of the dirt Holtman said business is down 40 percent from last year because customers have no place to park I dont know how the wonderful trees will help my business any she said adding that the Sheraton Hotel under construction other new merchants and careful marketing will help her The project which started in July replaces portions of the sidewalks and adds trees and plants along the 300 and 400 blocks of Sixth and Seventh Streets and along Pacific Avenue between Fifth and Ninth streets Since the revitalization corporation could not afford to replace the entire sidewalk the board elected to put in pockets of cosmetic improvements The project funded with federal grants is part of the Los Angeles Commercial Area Revitalization Effort program 45-day deadline Under the contract Marina has 45 days to complete any corrective work on the project An estimated 5 percent of the work will need to be corrected said Lowell Jeans vice president of the corporations board of directors The quality of the work is below what I would call acceptable but not below rejecting everything said Jeans a retired engineer with the city of Los Angeles Jeans said he estimated that the project would be completed by mid-April But others said it could be completed in mid-March at the latest The bottom line is that it looks terrific Taylor said Its something we are all going to enjoy for many years to come newspaper in education Activities for Elementary Students and their parents: Talk about the decorations that vou already have for the holidays turkm tret's candles etc Next talk over what each member of the faTih would like to have Then ask the children to scan the newspaper each dav to find ads and hopefuih bargains on the items the budget wall allow Each child could have an individual budget or ail go together on a larger amount Ask them to cut out the ads so thev won forget what store has the gtxxi items for your home Since colorful clothes and new warm items are needed as the davs get ccxilcr ask the children to select ads that thev feel show the rvpes of clothing thev need their wardrobe Give them a numlxT of items to select and ak each child to give the re asons whv thev think these items should be purchased Music will abound in all places as the holidavs approach Colleges parks iibranes malls chutches and sc h(xis offer free musical activities Ask vour children to scan the newspaper for them cut them out and post them bv dates on the rctngerator or a bulletin board Then everv weetcend the whole family has an opportune to enjov the sounds of the holidays Njx'aal scctioas of the paper will be included in Thursdav paper starting November 2-uh Ask the children to select one or two tov stores and cut out the ads Before visiting the stores talk about the criteria for selecting toss then see how manv new tiws arc on the market which follow the rules for buving that vou and the children have agreed upon PARENTS: Did you know that you can give your children an advantage in school by what you do together at home' And what better time to stan a project together than at the holidays' Introduce them to the SIGHTS SMELLS AND SOUNDS OF THE HOLIDAYS' Activities for Preschoolers and their parents: Lixik through the fixxl section to select a supermarket for a tour of the fruits vegetables and fresh spues Be sure to point out and name new items Ask vour children to select a new one to purchase and enioy at home Vfhcn vou return talk about the tour and help them to remember how things kxiked and smelled Sen give them the ftxxi section and ask them to cut out pictures of the fruits and veget ablcs they like best Trv the new item and have them describe it to vou Fncourage nch colorful words to help them be specific and express fullv how the) feel On another day select a haketv from the food section and visit eartv in the morning when baked gtx-xls are being removed tram the oven Identify and enjov the smells During the holidav some bakeries make unusual bread shapes Ask if the children can watch Discuss the smells and shapes and ask them to cut pictures out of the ftxxi section to show what they saw on their tour Together make a holiday picture dictionary Put one letter on each page then go through the newspaper and ask the children to find something thev like that begins with A Alter one picture for each page is found it can be a chal ienge to find other pictures When the page is full select a large interesting picture in color for the front and print on it My Picture Dictionary with your child name A treasure to be kept' Each dav look through the newspaper to find pictures of the sights smells and sounds of the holidays Cut them out with the children and ask them to paste them on a large circle Over lapping will not hurt as thev will end up with a wreath showing what the holidays mean to them Choose a place where they can display it with pnde Activities for young adults and their parents: set a theme for each holidav dinner then ask the children to select fixxis for each dinner (mvc them a budget tight enough so thev will have to kxk carefuUv thnmgh the fix'd sections to stav within their budget Then prepare the meals together teaching them the fine points of seasoning and pre paranon so that thev can be a proud part of the sights and smells of the holidavs Ak them to help vounger children Pnd places in the news paper to buv craft items to make decorations Don overlusk supermarket ads for popcorn cranberries seeds pme cones and other items used bv our ancestors for decoration Fl! the evenings with the fun of putting together creative as well as old stvle holidav decorations Talking about the old davs with vour children helps to keep traditions anve Ask them to the newspaper tor the parade of boats and other festivals and exhibits that are becoming tradition todav lsic all vou can as the sights smells and sounds of the hoinlavs will abound1 Vanning the newspaper for trends for the future is a gixxi wav to talk to the young people in vour famtK snout the things thev would like to be doing as adults their jobs rt reanon and dreams Holidav time is a great time for wishing Help them to know that with hard work thev can make a lot of their dreams come true To receive your FRFE copy of the pamphlet You Can Help our Child in Reading bv I sing the Newspaper call the Newspaper in Fducation office at The Outlook (213) 829-6811 Family Focus is xnt effort of the AmcTcan Vwvupcr PdbasVn Vwxlicxn the Interna txxul Reading VvsonatHn the National Congress tf Pannts and jnd the Na uonal Association of Elementary hooi Pnipals Vlitih for more FanJv Fxus acin-mc this newspaper Ncwspajats Daily Breeze News-Pilot The Outlook i f-' ax gjxAk-jfrjggP i -jn Vi' i -inUMiftr- nnirr mt' -mrlitfrrilriiriiiifirtntfiTf A i i.