The Macon Telegraph from Macon, Georgia • 13

Tuesday October 18 1988 Macon (TckflrapbNcuis Page 1 Georgia Living 3B Movies TV schedule 5B Business 8B LocalState Section Technician fired as probe into sex scene broadcast continues said know this business Although Sturdivant believes the incident was an accident the technician responsible for that broadcast was dismissed for violation of a company work rule she was not monitoring the network program Sturdivant said company policy prevented him from releasing the name of the fired worker Officials at Channel 41 are unsure of how the interruption happened and are investi gating three theories including the possibil ity that a video tape was brought into the studio and was being watched by the technician Another possibility is that the broadcast and electronics will malfunction and people will let you down" Ralph Blumburg with the CC confirmed that attorneys for NBC had reported the matter to them but the commission really do anything unless the complaint comes from a viewer or listener And even then the person complaining must present a tape of the disputed incident to CC officials A spokesman at the NBC headquarters in New York said the CC determines if there would be any penalties for the station which could include a fine or refusal to renew the license was interrupted by deliberate sabotage from an outside prankster Sturdivant said However the probability of that happening is remote he said because of the technical expertise such a prank would require The most reasonable explanation is that the wrong switch on a master control panel was flipped Saturday night In doing so the baseball broadcast was switched to a Band satellite signal carrying rated material While no conclusions have been made Sturdivant speculated that the broadcast interruption was most likely triggered at the TV studio And to prevent a recurrence By Cheryl incher Macon Talegraph and Newa A technician at WMGT TV in Macon was fired Monday as station officials continued to investigate how a 10 second sex scene interrupted Saturday broadcast of the World Series Station Manager LA Sturdivant de scribed the as a very serious matter which has been reported to the ederal Communications Commission The objectionable material aired in black and white during the second inning of color broadcast of the Los Angeles Dodgers Oakland game showed a naked man and woman having sex of such an event he said the wiring in the control room has been rerouted removing the Band switch from the control panel difficult to prove exactly what happened but we start with the possibilities and weigh each one as to how probable it is" Sturdivant said a serious concern for us Viewers have this expectation of protection from that kind of Sturdivant said WMGT has "had some reaction from the since Satur day night but most viewers have under stood the incident was an accident "Essentially we reported it and we he 1 JM' X1 1ms A '8P IT zz 7Z MftSSWsi 't 1 Cj DANNY GILLELANDMacon Telegraph and Newa Robins police department gets high tech investigation device Sgt Galen Noll shows off his new Luma Lite evidence illuminating device Scientific sleuthing unit is the second version fine tuned to allow users to adjust the intensity of the ray Soon Noll will take the Luma Lite from the police station to a crime scene scanning scenes with two lenses that eliminate hands and knees searching Natural fluorescents found in fibers hair and body fluids are visible under one of the lenses Evidence can also be treated with chemical dyes that show up under another lens Noll said Investigators examine the evidence through special filters that sharpen the images and bring the items into clearer focus then photograph items at the scene Having the Luma Lite at the scene lessens (See SLEUTH page 2B) happy to have this especially being the first ones in this area to have said Sgt Galen Noll head of the criminal identification unit "I know what other piece of equipment the department could have that would make us more The US Army crime lab is the only other agency in the state that has the Luma Lite Noll said While other police departments have bought more expensive less powerful lasers that put out 200 milliwatts of light the Luma powerful 15 watts work more efficiently with lower maintenance costs Noll said Powered by a standard 120 volt electrical outlet the air cooled Luma Lite has been on the market about five years Warner By Cindy Sams Macon Telegraph and Newa WARNER ROBINS In the time of super sleuths like Sherlock Holmes investigators relied on a magnifying glass and talcum power to find clues the naked eye see These days Warner Robins police use slightly more high tech methods shining their Luma ultraviolet rays on elusive evi dence left behind at the scene of a crime The Warner Robins department is one of the first Middle Georgia police agencies to pur chase the 16 pound portable unit which costs $9800 The light causes evidence such as hair fibers and fingerprints to become florescent under the ray real real pleased and real real Officer makes certain air's games are fair nobodv cheat and set up a little booth where people had to By Dan Maley Macon Telegraph and News cheat you and nobody cheat me" the hawker called into the microphone as she collected money for chances to win a stuffed animal A contestant threw a ball from the edge of the booth into a box with plastic glass sides and a multicolored bottom When the ball came to rest in one of the holes a young girl squealed with delight and did a little good luck dance with red stripes the the hawker said else wants to play? I cheat you and Mrtknzlu nknot rnAS 1 UU11 I UUUUUJ UUtOl U1V Until the Georgia State air closes Saturday the job of Macon police Lt Ellis Harper is to make sure the hawker keeps her promise Harper walks at a leisurely pace under the bright lights of the fair midway His business suit makes him look out of place among all the blue jeans and colorful sweatshirts Harper feels right at home however The amiable head of the Macon police intelligence unit has monitored games at the fair for the last 21 years "My main duty is checking games and the little violations people complain he said "Last year an independent operator came in pick these different colored candy suckers Well the odds of winning were astronomically low So he had to pack up and Harper said there were no major problems with any of the games on Monday the opening day of the fair Most of his efforts have been devoted to the basketball games where problems often arise because people realize the hoops are smaller than the ones in local schoolyards require a sign that says they are not regulation he said "If I come back and see they have the sign I make put it (See AIR page 2B) Callers keeping City Hall busy over Jim Brooks By Stacy Lam Macon Telegraph and News Callers kept the phone lines busy at Macon City Hall Monday more in support of Police Chief Jim Brooks than against him That response was a change from riday when most of those who called complained about Brooks News reports that day revealed that earlier this month he was stopped for speeding and tested for drunken driving in Houston County getting calls and calls and calls on Chief Brenda Brauneck the secretary said Monday By late afternoon Brauneck said the office had fielded about 50 calls from the public getting more positive re she said starting to go in the other direction positive versus negative City Councilman Charles Dudley said he also had gotten about 50 calls during the weekend a one was Dudley said "The main question is are you going to do about Jim Mayor Lee Robinson has said he will decide what action to take sometime this week Brooks is at tending a conference of police chiefs in Portland Ore sched uled to be back in Macon Thursday Monday city administrators were waiting on written reports from Houston County Sheriffs officers who stopped Brooks and later tested him for drunken driving The officer who stopped Brooks has said the chief was clocked on radar at 95 mph But Brooks was not charged for speeding or drunken driving when his blood alcohol level tested at 005 below the legal limit of 010 The mayor and Chief Administra tive Officer Charlie Howell will go over the law enforcement reports and then ask the Houston County officers any questions Howell said Robinson Howell and the city attorney also are reviewing person nel regulations to determine if Brooks violated any of those poli cies in the incident be looking to see how other cases have been Howell said getting this information together quickly not going to let this hang About six picketers returned to the sidewalk in front of City Hall Monday and pledged contin ue their protest until Brooks is punished either want him fired or severely reprimanded in some way prefer to see him Mike Goble said He and some family members began the picketing Sun day afternoon (See BROOKS page 2B) More questions raised about Robins bar law By Mitch Clarke Macon Telegraph and News WARNER ROBINS Just when Warner Robins City Council mem bers thought they had an alcohol law they could live with along came still more questions about the use of bars and lounges on Sunday Although the council has an amendment ready for passage ahotel manager questioned Monday whether his employees could enter the lounge on Sundays to dispense soft drinks to lunch customers Since early September the coun cil has been debating whether to keep bar owners and employees out of their businesses on Sunday But the latest revision will allow entry into the bars for pur poses But during a public hearing Gil bert Weisenberger general man ager of the Holiday Inn said his only soft drink fountain is in the lounge and must be used if customers order soft drinks during Sunday lunch "I think I'm talking about $3000 for another fountain and I think you should at least consider Weisenberger said Under the latest proposal bar owners and their employees may enter businesses on Sunday to take inventory to make repairs or reno vations or for other business relat ed activities The regulation also requires the owner to call the police department and tell them who will be working at the bar At no time can alcohol be consumed and the doors must remain locked according to the amendment Councilman Curtis Dempsey who chaired the alcohol committee said the committee will discuss Weisen berger's request He also said it may be necessary to again reword the law But some council members ex pressed concern that the action was being further delayed is getting said Councilwoman Henrietta McIntyre who believes the ordinance will (See BAR page 2B) Judge Owens postpones hearing on school bonds By Sheron Smith Macon Telegraph and News US District Court Judge Wilbur Owens Jr has postponed today's scheduled hearing on legal action taken by four Bibb County residents to block the school Nov 8 bond referendum Neil Bradley the American Civil Liberties Union lawyer representing the four plaintiffs said law clerk called him Monday asking that he submit briefs on the legal issues and that parties confer to agree upon a statement of Warren Plowden the school attorney said both sides have until next Monday to submit briefs which Owens or a panel of federal judges would use to decide the case But if both sides still want to present oral arguments after submitting the briefs another hear ing will be rescheduled The school board is seeking $29 million through the bond issue to build a new middle school and new high school in northwest Bibb Coun ty air condition 17 school buildings and create a high technology spe cialty program at Northeast High School State Rep David Lucas and three other black Bibb County residents are seeking to block the Nov 8 vote because they charge the Justice Department has not approved the referendum question under the Vot ing Rights Act BEAU CABELUMacon Telegraph and News 14 '7 Ray Lee surveys the coal yard where bodies were found Monday 2 bodies found on train at Plant Scherer By Colleen McMillan Macon Telegraph and News ORSYTH The bodies of two men were found Monday after the railroad coal car in which they had been riding was emptied at Georgia Plant Scherer in Monroe County Monroe County Sheriff John Cary Bittick identified one man as Terry Easter 31 from Richmond Va The other man had not been identi fied Monday evening Bittick did not know how the men died but he said that autopsies would be performed The sheriff said the men who apparently were transient might have been sleeping in the car when (See BODIES oaee 2BI.