The Charlotte Observer from Charlotte, North Carolina • 40

mjTM 6C SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 5 1998 THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER Judge allows randparents to keep girl 5 By JON GOLDBERG Staff Writer newton Five-year-old Amber Holland can stay in Hickory A district judge Friday awarded custody of Amber to her grandparents instead of her mother a former topless dancer acquitted last year in the murder of the father The attorneys for each side however were ordered to agree on visitation rights is a great said Richard Rudisill the attorney representing the grandparents Butch and Derene Speagle of Hickory think the best interest of the child will be Judge William ruling read to attorneys whHe supporters for both sides and reporters were locked outside the courtroom came about five hours after the finish of closing arguments Neither the Speagles nor mother Christy Holland Seitz were in the courthouse when Creech read his ruling attorneys Ted Cummings and Lisa Dubs left the courthouse through a side door and later could not be reached for comment The ruling brings some closure to the 3-year-old battle for Amber The Speagles have cared for the grl since their son father was shot dead in a Kroger parking lot in January 1996 Seitz who was Stacy on-and-off girlfriend was charged with his murder after police said she enlisted the help of a Marine friend to kill him Seitz now 23 married and living in Dallas was cleared of the murder charge in June 1997 after a six-week criminal trial Nevertheless District Court Judge Jonathan Jones awarded the Speagles temporary custody of Amber the following month In both the temporary and permanent custody hearings Rudisill honed in on what he described as unfit lifestyle During closing arguments Friday he called her a woman should not and described her as promiscuous unstable and responsible for death even though a jury acquitted her By contrast grandparents are the All-American Rudisill said In his closing arguments Cummings said the heavy publicity surrounding the case would stay with Amber if she continued living in Hickory He also said Derene Speagle is too controlling had encouraged Seitz to have an abortion when she was pregnant with Amber and exhibited unusual behavior by having the word inscribed on her tombstone Cummings added that Seitz is a different person than she was three years ago She had a son two months ago with her husband Eric whom she married about a year ago Though ruling clears up the custody issue it put an end to the other legal battles brewing from death In January the Speagles filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Christy and Eric Seitz and sister Brandie The Seitzes meanwhile have sued Catawba County Sheriff David Huffman and other law enforcement officials claiming defamation and violations of her civil rights Staff Writer Jen Pilla contributed to this report Photos by TODD SUMUNStaff Janet Jackson regales a Blockbuster Pavilion crowd Friday night with Janet makes a concerted effort SrmiAAVim9-mmitssrri BERBER CARPETS 799 sq yd EVERYDAY Carpets Vinyl Remnants Save 50-70 Show time: Costumed dancers glided across the stage flash pots exploded sparks flew into the air and a large video screen flashed stunning almost psychedelic images of the entire scene Stylish visually captivating and kinetic Janet concert at Blockbuster Pavilion last night was exactly what the Kenneth 12000 fans in the audience expected of the MTV-nur-tured singer You could tell by the massive applause and the number of males going and 0 0 It was flashy and entertaining Yet it seemed more about moves than emotion Things felt almost too scripted It help that face was tightened into a look of stem concentration for much of the night It looked as if she having much fun This definitely the Janet of the past But then been through a lot since then much of it chronicled on her latest CD Velvet her most serious inwardlooking album yet The first half of the concert rode that same vibe Instead of an all-out bomb to start things off Jackson came out a bit subdued wearing a kind of Original 1IPERGO Laminate Hoor s357 per sq ft MAMINGTON CERAMIC-TILE 3 s195 sqft tile 6 MONTHS SAME AS CASH WITH APPROVED CREDIT 841-8818 9517-A VINYL FLOORS iedmoBit VISA Monroe Road 1 ''MW-WHlMmC! Aipshow 78 LABOR DAY WEEKEND September 5 Sunday September 6 Gates Open 9am hear Janet Jackson perform before bringing the medley to a rousing close Things would ultimately revert to a more serious feel but not until Jackson loosened up one more time After a brief set change Jackson and her dancers returned to the stage in brightly colored strangely cut costumes that looked like something from in AD-1 SKYRAIDER Aerobatic Aircraft F4U CORSAIR Saturday and Admitted serial killer will never be eligible for parole Some 12000 fans turned out to tuxedo-like pants suit ensemble in black and white She appeared to be going for a gangsta feel Things loosened up about 30 minutes into the show Jackson kicked off a medley of hits including and Have You Done For Me The best part was when her band broke into the riff from Busta Rhymes It were involved in prostitution or crack cocaine or both police say Their bodies were found in and around the city They had been kidnapped raped and choked Alston pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the deaths of Martin and Warren He was sentenced to consecutive life terms in addition to the two other consecutive life sentences The combination of the sentences ensures that Alston will never be eligible for parole Alston has refused to say where he hid parts of the bodies line Performances by The Basics and others Gastonia Municipal Airport liwy 274 (5 Union ltd) Airshow tiOTUtW 867-7005 All proceeds benefit Phoenix Air Medical mmr IMS? funded part by grant from die Gaston County Economic Commission Associated Press Greensboro A Greensboro man who has admitted killing four women during the early 1990s will spend the rest of his life in prison after pleading guilty this week to murdering two of the women Robert Sylvester Alston 29 pleaded guilty Thursday in the slayings of Sharon Martin 26 and Shameca Warren who was 19 He already is serving two life sentences for killing JoAnne Robinson and Lois Williams All four women died between April 1991 and December 1993 and Only head and an arm have been found body was decapitated and the head was never found Throughout court proceeding Alston smiled and appeared unconcerned His attitude upset Judge Peter McHugh and members of family who were in court mother lives in Florida can smirk and grin all you McHugh told Alston before asking him to search his soul and help the families by reveal SAT DO NOT MISS THE INCREDIBLE LABOR DAY 25 75 RollsRemnants At and Below Cost Best Puce Ever! Show Daily Military flight Rides Carnival Midway Food Souvenirs fh B25 BOMBER Paring 10-5 1 DAY ONLY SAT 7HR CARPET FOR THE LOWEST PRICES! Mon-Thurs 9-7 Frl 9-6 Sat 10-5 25 sq yd Minimum Financing Available Huge Blue Building 90 Days Same As Cash In IP Years 536-3781 Ism Soundwise the show was on the mark Visually it got an A particularly the video screen above the stage The dancing was strong even if Janet appeared to be taking a bit too much inspiration from her brother Michael But things were a tad too mechanical for it to be a great concert On the other hand it was a very good ing where he hid the remains Alston refused have had time to search my Alston said I did was wrong and made peace with God Only me and God will have those answers With his latest plea bargains Alston admitted killing four of six women who disappeared in Greensboro between 1991 and 1994 He has not been strongly linked to the other victims police said but they have not ruled him out as a suspect Ashe be for his quick action bus driver slowed down so the impact would be he said very thankful there were no serious injuries very appreciative of the good work of the medical staff and the school staff and the Tindall said the spot where the wreck occurred a high-accident area wreck could have been much more serious he said except that both drivers were in large vehicles and the kids were in their seats like they were supposed Late Friday Ashe was back home nursing a slightly sore back but feeling good about the way things turned out especially the way the kids had handled themselves done all he said Staff writer Tom Murray contributed to this article Reach Joe DePriest at (704) 868-7745 or dcpriestin charlotte com Free 000 Financing ITT-1 Interest 'Til 2000 Car hits school bus head-on but all injuries are slight The first thing that hit my and save the Installed Sale One Prite Is All You Pay 1) Carpet 2) Padding 3) Installation WESLEY ASHE SCHOOL BUS DRIVER BEST QUALITY GUARANTEED 881 PRICED FROM No extra charge tor pod No extra charge tor Installation i No extra charge tor moving furniture No extra charge for wood step! No extra charge to take up old stretchedm carpet No hidden charge turnkey Locally Owned Look fortbe 6316 Operated (TRUST) By JOE DePRIEST Staff Writer CRAMerton Gaston school bus driver Wesley Ashe had 39 kids on board Friday morning when he saw a car coming toward him in the same lane He only had a split second to react first thing that hit my mind was trying to stop and save the said Ashe 57 a school bus driver for four years hit the brakes and went as far to the right as I Cramerton police said an east-bound 1988 Crown Victoria slammed head-on into the school bus in a curve on Mayflower Street Nineteen children all under 10 were taken by ambulance to Gaston Memorial Hospital and another child was driven there by a parent The children were treated for minor bumps and bruises and all were released by noon a hospital spokeswoman said Police said the driver Sammy Mack Owens 39 of 119 Lane Kings Mountain was charged with driving left of center mind was trying to stop children Cramerton Police Capt Fred Tindall said parking is allowed on the right side of Mayflower Street and eastbound car veered into the opposite lane to miss the parked vehicles when it struck the westbound school bus head-on he said Tindall know how fast the bus and car were traveling but said the speed limit there is 25 mph Ashe said just picked up a child on Mayflower Street and had traveled a short distance when he saw the car headed toward him almost come to a complete stop when it he said little girl was crying but the mother of the child just picked up came on board and comforted her The kids were well-behaved and the parents who came did a super Deputy Gaston Schools Superintendent Reeves McGlohon said and driving too fast for conditions He was not injured New Hope Elementary School Principal Dunlap said several of the children who spent the morning at the hospital came to school afterward He said those students along with the 19 gone on to school after the wreck were all getting along fine was just like nothing had he said Dunlap was impressed by the way everyone behaved at the wreck scene kids parents police and emergency personnel were all he said kids really upset They were just like we going to The wreck happened about 7:15 a in a curve on Mayflower Street between 17th and 18th streets Independence Blvd P'or pyrl rjprj BECAUSE YOU HAVE MONEY TO WASTE (The Charlotte mem mmnsmm HSPW.