Record-Journal from Meriden, Connecticut • 18

1 Record-Journal Meriden Conn Saturday June 29 1991 STATEREGION 4I go one day without to charm children at Oakdale Ir stretched to the limit Even with a brief furlough the couple will not be able to afford their rent two car payments monthly utility costs and other bills Skomro said am I going to do? I have a kid coming I go one day without money" she said For Bridget Wilson a single mother Weicker who met with state commissioners Friday morning to outline the shutdown plan did not say publicly whether employees who are being told to stay home from work Monday would be paid State workers prepare for shutdown By Denise Lavoie Associated Press HARTFORD Kathy Skomro has some news for Gov Lowell Weick-er Jr as hie prepares to shut down state government told my boss that if I get laid off me my husband and my three dogs are going to live with she said Skomro a state worker for the last 13 years said she and her husband will feel the financial squeeze immediately if the governor carries through on his threat Weicker on Friday outlined plans to shut down all non-essential services in state government at midnight Sunday if no state budget has been ap- proved for the new fiscal year that begins Monday Skomro an assistant business manager for the state Freedom of Information Commission is five months pregnant Her husband an oil truck driver was laid off from his Job two months ago Without his paycheck the credit cards in already By Orla Swift Record-Journal staff HARTFORD Haitian Parker was already on her launch pad when her mother arrived home ready for our first the 5-year-oid told Kathy Parker And off they went courtesy of imagination to every fast food restaurant in the world The trip was not without planning Without Barney the 9-foot purple talking dinosaur Kaitlah saw on television that day the child could have bepn stranded in reality all day As a children's video star Barney has taken thousands of youngsters on endless voyages limited only by th depth of their imaginations Soon VCR-less preschoolers nationwide will be introduced to Barney when he stars in his own educational series on public -television beginning next April The affable purple and green "hugasaurus will also take the stage for two afternoon cos-certs today at 11 am and 3:30 pm at the Oakdale Theatre In Wallingford The concerts are part of Connecticut Public Family FunDay Children from the audience will be invited to Join Barney on stage Though bom in Texas where hit creators former teachers Par- ker and Sheryl Leach live Barney will soon be a Connecticut resident of sorts The Corporation for Public- Broadcasting has awarded Connecticut Public Tele- vision and the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) 32 25 million to develop 30 new Barney episodes to beginning air nationwide Spring Vice President for Programming Larry Rifkin proposed the new series to the national corporation after seeing his 4-year-old daughter's elated reaction to Barney video they rented from a local video store The Corporation for Public Broadcasting had been looking for something new educational and lively to supplement its classic decades-old education programs like and Neighborhood" Parks beaches could be closed on HARTFORD (AP) Gov: Lowell Weicker threat to suspend some state services if the state have a budget by midnight Sunday is putting a damper on the Weicker's press secretary Avice Meehan said waters who are asked to report to work Monday will be paid She acknowledged that waters in designated nonessential Jobs are being told to stay home from work When asked if the workers who are being asked to stay home will be paid she would only say 'This is about preserving Jerome Brown president of the New England Health Care Employees Union District 1199 which represents 1000 state workers said the union is telling its members to report to work on Monday Brown's position is that if a budget agreement is not reached by Monday the contract concessions agreed to earlier by the union will be cancelled Among the offices affected by the shutdown are state welfare housing labor educational -and other services Parks beaches and motor vehicle offices will also be closed the Fourth close and campers will be asked to leave Monday morning said a spokeswoman for' the state Department of Environmental Protection She said DEP had no plan on how people will receive refunds Shirley Brodhurst of Pittsfield Mass sitting outside her camper Thursday afternoon at Hammonas-set said talk about Massachusetts going broke but at least we haven't gene bankrupt or threatened to close our beaches Randy and Roseann Tautic of Granby camp at Hammonasset every summer and plan to come aggin in August if the park is open "I bet if the governor was a camper he wouldn't close down the state Roseann said The possibility of state beaches closing has municipalities with public beaches scurrying to prepare for a crush of people the last several years while the Herald incurred more than 32 million in operating Josses: "For the past several years the Herald has sustained large operating losses due to the decline in advertising revenues the general recession in the-Northeast and the Connecticut economy and increased competitive pressures in the marketplace Warkins said in a statement the newspaper! has a loyal readership circulatton revenues alone cannot support a he said The Herald was the smallest of three daily newspapers competing in News Briefs In the State Sharpton observing HARTFORD -I The Rev A1 Sharpton showed up at Daniel capital murder trial Friday just as the Jury begad deliberations butden- 1 kills' Manchester Herald! I he was trying to interject the Issue of race into the celebrated case The flamboyant civil rights activist from New York City said he was simply concerned that Webb had not been adequately represented by his public defenders and vowed to Webb's appeal if he is convicted are here because we are concerned that Daniel Webb did not receive a fair Sharpton said Webb is accused of abducting Diane Gellenbeck a vice president at Connecticut National Bank from a downtown parking garage in August 1999 and later shooting her in the back as she tried to flee barefoot across Keney Park relatives said they believe authorities singled him out because he is biack The victim was white Webb is charged with capital felony murder felony murder kidnapping and attempted sexual assault He faces the death penalty if he Is convicted on the capital felony charge defined as murder committed during the commission of another serious crime raising an 8-year-old boy the impact would be just as disruptive: a week I would probably have to search for a part-time she said Wilson 29 a data entry operator in of Education the state Department said she was frustrated that the legislature has been unable to agree on a spending plan even though state employee unions agreed to 3340 million in contract concessions to help the state balance its budget "I can deal with no raises working a four-day work week' or whatever else but I cannot deal with a she said The timing of the shutdown could not be worse for Michael LaFleur an air pollution control engineer in the 'Department of Environmental Protection LaFleur bought a house two weeks ago and his first mortgage payment is due Monday the same day the government is supposed to shut down guess Monday find out if I can pay my bills and whether I halve a July Fourth plans of beach-goers and campers Officials at state parks have been deluged with calls from people dering how a shutdown could affect Webb trial West Haven injuring unsuspecting drivers aggression We see it on TV we're he said LaFleur and other workers in the DEP got a one-day reprieve from the shutdown Administration officials decided to keep the DEP open at least through Monday because of the health and safety functions it performs Most other state workers were being fold to stay home from work Monday unless a budget is approved before then The state has approximately 50000 workers on its payroll but even the office had not estimated late Friday how many would be affected by the shutdown Weicker who met with state commissioners Friday morning to outline the shutdown plan did not say publicly whether employees who are ing told to stay home from work Monday would be paid Most employees interviewed Friday said they believe the shutdown would amount to a "forced where they would not be paid their holiday weekend waiting just like they are and just as worried because we may not have said Linda DuF-resne who works at Rocky Neck State Park in Niantic Weicker promised Wednesday to shut down all non-essential state services with state parks and campgrounds a likely target if legislators break their deadlock and come up with a budget for the fis- cal year that begins Monday At both Rocky Neck and Hammo- nasset State Park in Madison people ces for call in January to reserve spaces the week of July 4 and must pre-pay by mail to reserve their spots Becky Demchek who works in the office at Hammonasset said they are advising callers to continue with their vacation plans for now But if the governor goes through with his threat all campsites will MANCHESTER (AP) The Manchester Herald ceased publication Friday the victim of mounting operating losses the severe regional advertising drought and an intense newspaper war Employees were informed in a meeting Friday morning with Roger Warkins executi ve vice president of Scripps League Newspapers Inc the newspapers parent company They then returned to work to put out Friday edition the Warkins said the chain had tried unsuccessfully to- sell the afternoon daily and had lent It money during Gong becomes a cardinal China protests VATICAN CITY (AP) Pope John Paul II formally elevated 23 new cardinals from six continents on Friday including a long-imprisoned Chinese bishop whose appointment was denounced by Beijing's Communist government The protest over Bishop Ignatius Gong Pin-Mei of Shanghai was a new setback for the efforts to mend ties with China The sufferings endured by Goig 90 and two other cardinals jailed under Communist regimes set the tone for the pageantry-filled ceremony at the Pope Paul VI auditorium '-More than 7500 people rose and clapped as" the frail diminuitive Gong knelt before the pope to rereive file red hat serve and give your life for your brothers and sisters to the point of shedding your blood: this is the charge that is solemnly entrusted to you this the Polish-born pontiff said in his homily are not mere conventional words: some of you know that very well! The pope de gram to plead I in Yugoslavia and to urge negotiations between the Yugoslav government and Croatia and Slovenia The irted from the pro-sin end to violence two republics declared independence this week prompting a crackdown by the government The 23 new of the church' included twoAmericans Archbishop Roger Mahony of Los Angeles and Archbishop Anthony Bevilacqua of Philadelphia Gong was imprisoned for 30 years in China for refusing to denounce the church hierarchy in Rome John Paul first named him a cardinal in 1979 but kept the appointment secret He was released from Jail in 1985 and left the country three years later He now lives in Stamford Conn China severed relations with the Vatican in 1957 and does not recognize the authority Escapee nabbed in will poll Un Wa fU8 iml Din Lc Nc on i siti ora Thi toextl grout Fir I pm to tomal i said Tw Th WEST HAVEN A state prisoner who escaped from two guards while attending a funeral earlier this week was apprehended Friday night in West Haven after police received an anonymous tip about his whereabouts Two men matching the description of Ronald Snow were picked up at a West Haven apartment police said Police had to fingerprint both suspects to determine which one was their man Barony: Two shows this afternoon Parker and Leach came up with the Barney inter- active video concept in response to what they felt was a lack of qual ity videos The with series is set in a classroom the costumed creature Joined by children of varied ethnic back- grounds and ages Barney start each episode as a fluffed animal which the children must bring to' -life with their imaginations The first three videos they produced sold more than 300000 copies each and garnered several national awards They have since luced three more videos and imey has appeared on the Disney daily series In a press conference at CPTV headquarters Parker attributed appeal to the easygoing and encouraging attitude and to natural fascination with the extinct beast "Dinosaurs have a real mystique for said Parker try to imagine what dinosaurs were like really encourages ere-' a big lovable surrogate she said warm safe He's like a teach er' 15581 in 1971 As of December its dr-- relation was down to 7780 -t The Herald was named Newspaper1 of the Year for 1990 by the New England Newspaper Association will remember- the Manchester Herald as a great local institution that under local ownership bound the community together for many Elizabeth Ellis publisher of the Journal Inquirer the main competitor said After Warkins' announcement the mood was subdued as reporters turned back to their work to put out the newspaper's last edition Brother Restaurant tfomell Proud of ybiiil Heritage Floor Covering Mom Town of Wallingford Public Utilities thanlsfora joB weffdonel The first man grabbed identified himself as Ernest Snow The second tified himself as Ronald Snow then said he was actually at first idem man Ernest Snow Police said the second man turned out to be the escapee Ronald Snow formerly of New Haven was serving a 23-year sentence at Somers State Prison for a 1989 crime spree Airing which he robbed and raped a young woman and kidnapped an elderly woman while bolding scissors against her throat I 5 I i ill 1 1 i jfj i jf If Politician 8on caught in drug raid ANSONIA Police arrested six people including an teen-age son in a drug raid at a city housing project Ansonia police along with members of the Valley Street Crime Unit and the Statewide Narcotics Task Force seized 42 packets of cocaine with a street value of about 3500 more than 31500 in cash and drug par Support our Ttoops by attending the parade In Wallingford today aphernalia from the Riverside Apartments early Thursday morning Among those arrested was 4th Ward Alderwoman Lula Walker! 19- year-old son William Zimmerman who was charged with possession of drag paraphernalia Zimmerman also was arrested by Ansonia police in January 1990 after officers found 101 packets of cocaine concealed in his pan ts Manchester a city of about 52000 Its demise leaves the Journal Inquirer another afternoon newspaper and The Hartford Courant in a head-to-' head competition 1 The newspaper's 31 full-time employees will receive up to four months severance pay Their health benefits will continue for five months The roots date to 1881 when the Manchester Saturday Herald was founded The newspaper was -locally owned and operated until 1971 when it was sold to the Hagadone Newspapers Inc a subsidiary of Scripps Scripps took control in 1978 The circulation was Bond-Bilt Garages HMcome Cifytrust Mome to you md all of our tmoptwko serve our country 'Hi antopnmdqfyoull Pralines Ice Cream of Wallingford ltiaifyouforajoS toed done 269-1869 In the Region Senate gets race-track proposal BOSTON (AP) Horse-racing legislation is before the Senate after the unanimous approval of a bill that would bring the sport back to Massachusetts after a two-year hiatus The co-chairmen of the Legislature's Government Regulations Committee Rep Michael Walsh and Sen Thomas Norton said the Renat would consider the bill toady in a rare weekend session when the fiscal 1992 budget also will be debated The measure approved in the House 149-0 bn Thursday would allow the state Racing Commission to grant 200 thoroughbred racing dates in Suffolk County and 125 harness racing dates and 75 thoroughbred dates at another site Starling Racecourse Limited is renovating Suffolk Downs on the Boston-Revere border The Westwood proposal to reopen Fox-boro Park will likely receive the other dates Deadly pranks are born of frustration BOSTON In the old days young pranksters would simply throw water balloons but today teens in Massachusetts Connecticut and New Allstate- 265-0477 253 Center Street Wallingford Central Bank Virtu couriye and Bravery during tfU Qulf mar made us proud to Be Americans PlunskeS Garage JoBvteK done jjtad to Boot everyone fume safe and sound York are heaving rocks at cars and been on the State Police for I much of Massachusetts State Police Cpl Joseph Howley said Friday This week alone Massachusetts authorities received at least five reports of people throwing rocks oiito passing vehicles Psychologists say postwar machismo frustration over the recession and a general trend toward a more aggressive society may be contributing to the sniper-like behavior "All the various pranks are getting much more aggressive said Dr Joyce Brothers a well-known author IS years and I have never seen so and psychologist glorifying all very prideful we won the Compiled front Record-Journal wire aervkei WuM Am.