The Daily Advocate from Greenville, Ohio • 10

Tuesday, January 12, 1999 Daily Advocate 10 Taft focuses on schools, cooperation COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Bob Taft pledged to live up to his famous family's 160-year tradition of public service and urged other Ohioans to join him -as he took the ceremonial oath of office Monday to become the state's 67th governor. "Guided by a spirit of cooperation and a commitment to helping others help themselves, let's make the most of our opportunity to forge a great new beginning for Ohio as we pioneer the next frontier," Taft told about 2,000 cheering supporters. It was the second time the Republican had taken the oath Monday. He was officially sworn in just after midnight at the governor's mansion in suburban Bexley. The later event, held at the ornate Ohio Theatre across from the Statehouse, was a chance for the public to join in.

Chief Justice Thomas Moyer presided over the private swearing-in and Taft's daughter, Anna, administered the ceremonial oath as Taft's wife, Hope, held open the family Bible. It was the same Bible used by Taft's great-grandfather, William Howard Taft, when he was sworn in as president in 1909. Afterward, Taft praised the spirit of the pioneers who founded Ohio almost two centuries ago. "And their dearest dream? A desire to leave their children a world in which struggle was not a constant companion," Taft said. But the former Peace Corps volunteer noted that conflict has marked Ohio's struggle to find a better way to fund its public schools.

He called on all parties to come together and find a solution for Ohio's children. "If we are to build a new century abounding with opportunity and hope for generations to follow, we must do as Ohioans have always done. We must rise to the occasion together," he said. They were welcome words for Dearyll Shields, a 20-year-old Civilian Conservation Corps volunteer who was helping out at the day's inaugural events along with other members of the group from Columbus, Dayton and southeast Ohio. "I was impressed," Shields said after the speech.

He credits volunteer work with his transformation from a troublemaker on the streets of Columbus to someone with improved selfesteem and an eye on the future. Lois Jones of Cleveland also liked what Taft had to say about the importance of education particularly his call for 20,000 volunteers to help children learn to read. "What I heard was fine," Ms. Jones said as she stood near the back of the line of people waiting to meet Taft and Lt. Gov.

Maureen O'Connor. Ms. Jones hadn't plan to attend the event, however. She was staying at a nearby hotel, waiting for her husband to fin- AP photo Ohio's new governor, Bob Taft, takes the oath of office in Columbus as his wife, Hope, holds open the family Bible. It was the same Bible Taft's great-grandfather William Howard Taft used when he was sworn in as president.

ish a business meeting when she heard the start of Taft's speech on television. "I figured I'd come over and meet the governor," she' explained. The ceremony was to be at the west steps of the Statehouse, but was moved indoors because snow and ice prevented workers from building a platform. Taft's day started with an a morning youth breakfast and was to stretch late into the evening with three inaugural balls the most expensive being a black tie affair. Rep.

Robert Netzley, a conservative Republican from the Dayton area, was on hand for his 10th inaugural speech given by six different governors since first winning his Ohio House seat in 1960. Taft's sounded familiar, Netzley remarked. "They all want to be the 'education governor," Netzley said. "And we still pretty much have the same problems." Taft succeeds Ohio's first female governor, Republican Nancy Hollister. She filled in for 11 days after Republican George Voinovich, who held the job for eight years, left as a newly elected U.S.

senator. Kent to install protest memorial KENT, Ohio (AP) Kent State killed, nine students were wounded by features a 70-foot bench with four pillars to University's board of trustees on Monday National Guard members who had been represent the slain students: William authorized the installation of markers in sent in to quell a campus protest against Schroeder, Sandra Scheuer, Allison Krause the spots where each of four students died the war. and Miller. during a 1970 protest against the Vietnam "We are deeply gratified that Kent State Every year students and others gather to War. University has made such a meaningful place flowers on the parking spaces and parking spaces in a lot on this gesture," said Alan Canfora, 49, a student hold a candlelight vigil to mark the annivernortheast Ohio school's campus will be who was shot in the wrist during the sary of the shootings.

seated off. The markers will be put in those protest. "This decision, however, has been About $111,000 in private funds are spots, while the rest of the lot remains open, long overdue. It's clear that this new memo- being provided for the new memorials, university spokesman Ron Kirksey said. rial in the parking lot will become recog- including $10,000 donated by Cartwright.

-The memorials will each include a 42- nized as the most significant May 4 memor- William Gordon is a 1973 Kent State inch-high post with an electric light hang- ial because this is where people will come to graduate and author of a book about the ing from it. The light will always be turned pray, meditate and pay their respect to shootings. of', Kirksey said. these four martyrs." He said that even with the memorials "The installation of these four markers Last May, a group of students asked the "the most important thing to remember will complete the unfinished task of institu- university to close the parking lot and about May 4 has been forgotten. Hardly tional acknowledgment of the site of the brought letters to university President anyone remembers that a presidential comtragic events of May 4, 1970," the board of Carol Cartwright from each victim's family mission determined that the shootings were trustees' resolution said.

asking that part, or all, of the lot be shut off. 'unnecessary, unwarranted and inexcusIn addition to the four people who were Near the parking lot is a memorial that able." Cleveland plans Browns celebration CLEVELAND (AP) The in the "Save Our Browns" cam- determined to have the city Gras combined," Browns presicity is planning a weeklong paign that helped get the retain the team's nicknance, col- dent Carmen Policy said. party to celebrate the Browns' Browns back. The Browns' head- ors and history, contacted the White said that the new return to the NFL, Mayor quarters are located in Berea. NFL office through phone calls, Cleveland Browns Stadium, Michael White announced Cleveland is returning to the faxes, e-mails and letters to which is now 70 percent comMonday.

NFL following a three-year hia- voice their feelings. plete, could be used during the White appointed Berea Mayor tus, and White wants to reward White said the "Welcome celebration. The stadium was Stanley Trupo and Michael all Browns fans with festivities Home Committee" will be com- partially funded by city taxes. Benz, CEO of United Ways that will "celebrate both the prised of individuals from "I think there is an obligation Services, to co-chair a "Welcome return of football and the tenaci- Cleveland's public and private on the city's part to insure that Home Committee" that will ty of the greatest fans in the sector, the Browns as well as all of the citizens beyond the organize a week of festivities to world who didn't take the loss of Browns alumni. 70,000 who'll enjoy it, get an coincide with the opening of the the Browns sitting down." "Our fans and the people of opportunity to see what their new Cleveland Browns Stadium After Art Modell left Cleveland will be treated to a personal investment has creaton Aug.

21, 1999. Cleveland with his football fran- celebration that will be a mix of ed," he said. "We're not sure Trupo was actively involved chise in 1996, Browns fans the Fourth of July and Mardi what form that will take." Flynt seeks delay in obscenity trial (AP) Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt, who has been waiting more than 20 years to face Ohio prosecutors again in court, asked Monday to delay his second obscenity trial. Flynt filed a motion to put off the Jan. 19 trial because his physician.

has recommended that he undergo unspecified surgery, prosecutors said. Patrick Dinkelacker of Hamilton County Common Pleas Court, who was set to hear the case, scheduled a hearing for Wednesday on Flynt's motion. "If it were for a legitimate medical reason, we most likely would not oppose it," acting Hamilton County Prosecutor Michael Allen said Monday. Brady law blocks 11,000 gun sales WASHINGTON (AP) The FBI blocked 11,584 gun sales during 1 the first 41 days of its new computerized, instantcheck system and took steps to catch 1,541 would-be gun buyers who were wanted for arrest, the bureau said Monday. Most of the 11,584 denials were for prospective gun buyers who turned out to be convicted felons, the FBI said.

FBI background checkers verified there were outstanding arrest warrants for 1,541 of the buyers, and the FBI advised either the state or federal law enforcement agency that was seeking the person so it could attempt an arrest. While the bureau did not have a total yet for the number of arrests actually made, it said they included a man in Oklahoma for embezzlement; a woman in Texas for tampering with government records; one man in Indiana for child neglect and another there for larceny; a man in Texas for criminal 1 nonsupport of family members; and a man in Missouri, a woman in Nebraska and a man in Mississippi on separate fraud warrants. The barred sales represented a tiny fraction of the 1,030,606 gun sales on which the bureau did background checks from the 26 states and territories for which it does all gun-sale checks and the 11 states where it checks long-gun sales. An additional 462,298 background checks were performed in the 16 states that conduct all their own checks and the 11 states that check handgun sales, the FBI said. But the bureau did not have any data on how many of those applications were denied.

The computerized, instant check system established by the Brady Act began operation Nov. 30 and is designed to thwart gun sales to criminals, drug; users and others barred from buying handguns, rifles or shotguns. The FBI data covers the period from Nov. 30 through Jan. 10, excluding Christmas Day, roughly coinciding with the heaviest gun-buying period of the year the Christmas gift season.

In the checks performed by the FBI, 75 percent resulted in immediate clearance to sell the weapon. The remaining 25 percent required further checking by the FBI, but that additional checking only delayed the sale for up to three days in all but the 11,584 cases where the transaction was blocked. Federal law ban's gun purchases by people convicted or under indictment on felony. charges, fugitives, the mentally ill, those with dishonorable military discharges, those who have renounced U.S. citizenship, illegal aliens, illegal drug users and those convicted of domestic violence misdemeanors or under domestic violence restraining orders.

State laws add other categories. Utilities say no lights out at Y2K WASHINGTON (AP) There is no foolproof guarantee, but the dreaded millennium computer bug likely will have "only minimal impact" on electric. power systems and the lights will keep burning, an optimistic industry review said Monday. But Energy Secretary Bill Richardson, accepting the latest report on how power industry is tackling the "Y2K" problem, said he was still concerned that not all of the industry will meet a midyear target of having all its critical systems "Y2K" ready. "That there are no show stoppers that would threaten the nation's electricity supplies is welcome news," said Richardson.

But he said he was concerned that a small number of companies are not expected to fully meet the mid-year readiness test on critical systems. "In the Y2K readiness league, our goal must be to have a 1.000 percent batting average," said Richardson. Michael Gent, president of the North American Electric Reliability Council, which is overseeing the industry's Y2K readiness project, said only a few facilities will miss the June readiness target "mostly because of scheduled outages and other planning considerations." He said he expected everyone to be ready by September when there will be a "dress rehearsal" to see how utilities react to a simulation of the end-of-year Y2K scenario. Resolving the computer glitch caused by the rollover from 1999 to the year 2000 has been a top priority for the power industry. Major concerns are that the glitch might cause a shutoff of power that could cascade throughout the nationwide electric grid, or that the problem could interfere in timely shutdown of a nuclear power reactor.

"Findings continue to indicate that transmission through critical year 2000 rollover dates is Now Jenie Keller Heather Hetzler To Our Staff Call for an appointment Cuts Color RICH'S SALONS 316 Wagner Ave. Greenville, OH (937)548-0199 expected to have minimal impact on electric system operation," said the industry report. It said the impacts found so far, amount to "nuisance" problems' that would not prevent electricity generation or delivery. "At nuclear power plants, no Y2K problem has been found that would prevent any safety system from shutting down a plant in an emergency," said Gent. Gent said about half of the utilities have finished testing operationally critical compo-.

nents of their power transmission and distribution: systems. And he said 98 percent of all utilities are participating in the industry-wide readiness assessment program. Utilities are spending more than $2 billion to test and prepare their computers and replace software to deal with the Y2K problem. The problem occurs when computers unless software is adjusted read the year 2000 as 1900 because they consider only the last two digits. The electric utility industry preparedness has been a special concern of Congress as well as the Clinton administration since the electricity grid is tightly interconnected and a widespread distribution could have major impact.

"There is no evidence at this time that the Y2K problem will create national failures in electric power service," agreed John Koskinen, chairman of the president's Council on Year 2000 Conversion. Nevertheless, said Gerry Cauley, program manager the Y2K review at the reliability council, utilities are developing contingency plans in case of a' power interruption. "We don't feel there's going to be a problem keeping the lights on," said Cauley, although adding that even with all the optimistic signs "no one will stand up here and give you a guarantee." is just enough uncertainty." Flynt, 55, and his brother, Jimmy, 49, were indicted April 7 on charges of pandering obscenity, disseminating material harmful to a juvenile, conspiracy and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity. If convicted on all charges, each could face 24 years in prison and $65,000 in fines. The charges stem from the sale of sexually explicit videotapes at the downtown Hustler Magazine Gifts store that Jimmy Flynt manages.

Larry Flynt was convicted of pandering obscenity in 1977 for selling Hustler magazine in Cincinnati. He served six days of a 7- to 25-year sentence, which was overturned on appeal. Flynt believes he would prevail in a second trial and invited prosecution last year by distributing free copies of Hustler magazine downtown and by opening the magazine and sextoy store. For after Breast Surgery We NEARLY ALE Breast Forms Bras at Merle Norman 407 A. Broadway, Greenville, OH (937) 548-0492 Prosecutors did not act until he started selling XXX-rated videos in February.

The store was raided in March after a 14- year-old boy said he bought a video there, and the Flynts were indicted in April. Selling Darke County One yard at a time Salesperson for the month of December! Lois Cassel Ca King Miller Realty 547-0429 548-5464 Long 4 Photo-Copy Center Full Color Copies Black White Copies, ea. Photos Copied Lamination Video Transfers 8mm Slides, Photos NOW OPEN SATURDAYS 636 Wagner Greenville, OH 548-7532.