The Fresno Bee from Fresno, California • 5

B4 Friday February 28 1986 THE FRESNO BEE Ministers make it harder to tie knot By CATHERINE WILSON Associated Press Writer x' the Greater True Light Baptist Church signed the policy but reserved the right to make exceptions to the four-month waiting period "I fully agree with what doing" he said But as a black minister in a black community Lane said he will waive the waiting period in special show the vast majority of divorces two decades ago involved couples married outside churches But he said the distinction between church and non-church weddings disappeared over time It seemed to some ministers that a church had become an attractive setting for a wedding instead of a symbol of religious commitment "We're finding people coming to us wanting to get mairied in a week to 10 days ana only known each other for a week" Talley said Families and influential church members were pressuring ministers to waive guidelines some churches already had Under the policy that took effect in January clergy present a unified front on minimum standards for marriage Some denominations maintain even stiffer standards For example Talley runs a special program based on his guidebook for dating couples "Too Close Too as associate minister for single adults at First Baptist Church And Roman Catholics have a standard waiting period of six months Talley believes the monthld policy already is showing positive results "I've gotten them to come to me earlier than ever had them come to me before" he said saying that In order to get married in June you need to come in now so we can go through this process and work it through with Talley is afraid ministers waited too long to act A waitress told him the program was eight months late for her because she had married and already divorced a man she barely knew "Those are the sad stories that have been breaking my heart" Talley said But the policy has its detractors The Rev Charlie Lane pastor of i MODESTO Church leaders are attacking divorce by making it tougher to get married in Modesto Most of the clergy iurred by the 53-mcmber Modesto inisterial Association have signed a committing themselves to a community marriage policy re quiring a minimum four-month waiting period The logic behind the policy drafted by the Rev Jim Talley is that longer engagements and premarital counseling can both help epupies avoid some pitfalls after the wedding and separate incompatible couples before they marry impetus for the program was obvious: national figures show the ratio of marriage to divorce is almost two to one jTaliey claimed that statistics Say the young lady is pregnant or already has children and the young man is ready to meet his obligation or fulfill his responsibilities with the family I would hate to delay he said But Lane believes the policy is valuable even if it only forces young people approaching their first marriage to think twice "They would really stop and think and check themselves about getting married" he said "They wouldni be getting married under duress It would be well thought out before entering into a situation they want" Second arsonist eludes Nevada authorities of 1600 guests for about three hours There were no injuries in Wed- at the Dunes No damage estimate was available in the fires at the Holiday Inn and the Sands Firemen were called to foe Holi-about 6 pm on a report of a locker room on the resort's fifth floor While they were at the scene a second fire was reported in an executive board room on the hotel's second floor Sprinklers extinguished both fires and fire officials reported moderate water damage Firemen responded to two false alarms at the Dunes Hotel just be By ROBERT MACY Associated Press Writer LAS VEGAS Nev Clark County Fire Department officials saythey are relieved with the arrest of a California man in connection wSh' arson fires at three Strip resorts "but are concerned a partner nay still be on the loose Thomas Littleowl 30 of Bakersfield Was arrested at the Sands Ho-tcl -Wednesday night when he was snptted following two arson fires at the hotelcasino police said ment witnesses in they the Sands Wednesday night and the Dunes IlOtel Tuesday night He said the man they saw leaving fire scenes at land the Holiday Inn Casi- Supervisors will discuss effectiveness of Palm Lansing Way traffic diverter Court refuses to close hearing fore 8 pm Officials said fire alarm had been pulled by someone An hour later firemen were called to the Sands where fires had been set in a fifth-floor linen room and a restroom off the grand ballroom Police arrested Littleowl after he was spotted near the Sands casino A November 1980 fire at the MGM Grand Hotel killed 87 people and a fire at the Las Vegas Hilton three months later killed eight Those fires prompted enactment of some of the most stringent fire safety standards in the nation Eight of the nine fires were extinguished by sprinkler systems The worst fire in a pool equipment stop age area at the Dunes was in a two-story section not equipped with sprinklers allows only right turns onto Palm Avenue for westbound Lansing traffic and prohibits turns from Palm onto Lansing The diverter promotes use of Shields or Ashlan ave nues The county supports installing a curb and making the- divertef permanent Residents will be asked their feelings at meeting to be held the chambers Jgpom 3p iof the Hall of Records Whan you purehaaa a KttctianAid KDS21 Superba Dishwasher Feature Exclusive Thole FrHion which Ms you Hup tha hand riming And the Thple Protector Warranty aicum long-lasting performance Hurry In today lor complete detaUalOHeranda March Hall i Kitchen Aid" For the way it's made HANFORD be man's Inc 1519 11th Avenue MADERA Modern Sewing App 109 East 6th MERCED Central Appliance 120 16m St lApol 1 033 17th St ORANGE COVE Orange Cove hardware 507 Park TULARE Canby's 1 434 Tulare VISALIA Dean's 715S Ruddy's Inc 1411 So Mooney BJvd The effectiveness of a traffic diverter at Palm Avenue and Lansing Way will be discussed at 2 pm Tuesday before the Fresno County Board of Supervisors A temporary diverter was put at the intersection July 2 after residents complained that too many i drivers were using Lansing making it a major east-west traffic carrier The diverter a "do not sign and painted markings on the street 1 f-ish1 Frees may vary according to partapakng (Mart witnesses included security guards "We have one witness who saw him coming out of a bathroom where a fire was Patterson said all coming Patterson said Littleowl was booked on nine arson counts pending filing of formal charges Patterson said he is concerned that a second man believed to be at the Dunes is still on the loose He said that second man was not seen Wednesday night Littleowl was arrested after firefighters responded to four fires and two false alarms within three hours Wednesday night Those calls followed a series of five fires Tuesday night at the Dunes Hotel which caused $55000 damage and forced the evacuation man and David Eagleson rejected the request to dose the hearing ruling that defense attorneys- had not followed proper procedure The jurists said the writ filed by attorneys Daniel Hernandez and Arturo who are tide re- lated should have been filed first in Superior Court Arturo Hemaridezsaid the -motion would be filed again Friday in Superior Court as required "Should the Superior Court appellate division deny us we will go right back to the Court of he said Judge James Nelson ruled in Municipal Court on Monday that there was not sufficient reason to bar the public and press from the hearing saying that Los Angeles County is large enough to guarantee a pool of fair-minded jurors He also said news coverage of the case has been generally fair and accurate In addition to the murders Ramirez is accused of five attempted murders seven rapes five acts of oral copulation seven of sodomy three lewd acts on children two-kidnappings 19 burglaries and six robberies Authorities have said the attacker also struck in the San Francisco Bay Area and Orange County mutilating some bodies and scrawling Satanic symbols at some of the crane scenes Crop-duster crashes CASTAIC (UPI) A crop-dust- ing helicopter hit a power line and crashed Thursday in a field on the winds of the Peter Pitchess onor Rancho critically injuring the pilot authorities said The chopper went down shortly before 8 am in an oat field on the north end of the detention facility's property 35 miles north of Los Angeles Deputy Dave Hogan said Coming Soon An Adventure in Spirits Dining and Dancing Associated Press 'LOS ANGELES The state Court of Appeal denied a motion filed- Thursday by attorneys for Night Stalker murder defendant Richard Ramirez to close his preliminary hearing because justices said the motion was incorrectly filed Thi lawyers for Ramirez 25 have been attempting to get the hearing closed to the public saying there has been so much publicity that their right to a fair trial would be in danger Barring further delay the preliminary hearing is set to begin Monday The preliminary hearing will allow a judge to decide whether there is enough evidence to try Ramirez who is charged in Los Angeles County with 14 murders and 54 oth-erifclonies linked to a series of vicious attacks on 28 people in their hdmes during 1984 and 1985 Appellate justices Robert Feiner- s- Hog blamed in 19-vehicle freeway pileup United Press International ONTARIO Dense fog that cut visibility Thursday to less than 30 on a San Bernardino County freeway was blamed for a 19-vehi-dy pileup The chain reaction collision involving 11 cars and eight big rig tracks closed the southbound Devon Freeway near Jurupa Street for more than an hour CHP officer John Gomez said Two people were treated for minor injuries at San Antonio Community Hospital he said The pileup was apparently triggered by a collision between two cars shortly before 8 am Gomez said 'When the vehicles behind slowed abruptly in the fog they were rear-ended by other cars and pushed into each he said adding that one empty tanker track overturned on the roadway but posed no danger By mid-day the thick fog that blanketed Southern California for the second day had cleared Orange County authorities said nighttime fog on Wednesday may have caused the fatal crash of a small plane at John Wayne Airport flights were delayed at Los Angeles International Aiiport Wednesday night but the facility remained open through the morning officials said 'The fog also grounded police helicopters and the California Highway Pttrol warned drivers near the coast to watch for patches of thick Available at these fine dealers: ATWATER Possadori's 3rd Broadway DINUBA Vetter Cabinet 232 So 'M St FRESNO Alco Services 645 St Barney Huntington's 9338 WWhitesbridgo ltd Bedroskm Bldr Supply 4285 Motel Dr Bilsten's 4477 Blackstone Fresno Distributing 2055 McKinley Service 9010 South Elm Kustom Kitchens 1 448 Dearinq The Super Store 4940 Blackstone Ventura TV 5657 Ventura TV 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