Ledger-Enquirer from Columbus, Georgia • 27

RIDAY SEPTEMBER 5 2003 COLUMBUS LEDGER ENQUIRER wwwledger enquirercomnews C3 Weekend forecast tame Most weather events to steer clear of Columbus rom staff reports This weekend could have been worse The ingredients for a sloppy weekend are all there with a cold front stall ing over Georgia and a tropi cal depression churning toward tropical storm status to the south But both ele ments will be far enough away that they marked ly influence the local weather A 50 percent to 60 percent chance of scattered showers qnd thunderstorms are in the forecast throughout the week end Perhaps the benefit of all the moisture around is the cloud cover that will keep highs only in the upper 70s to mid 80s Brian Smith marketing director for ort Benning was making frequent on line visits Thursday to check the weather He estimated the chance of rain at only about 10 percent The post hosts country singer Lee Ann Womack at Weth erby ield on Saturday it was just a shower we would go on with the he said He said in the event of a prolonged storm a call would be made on site to cancel the snow No rain date is sched uled and refunds would be given in the event of a cancel lation he said But he expects a clear night and a crowd of about 5000 real showers will be to our south and said Gary Beeley a meteorol ogist at the National Weather Peachtree City Ga office will be from the tropical depression What it will mean for us is with the easterly winds dragging more moisture in from the Atlantic That would change if the depression came more north (than east northeast) but the National Hurricane Center is not forecasting The depression Tropical Storm Henri is expected to dump upwards of 10 inches of rain along Big Bend area into south Georgia before heading out into the Atlantic ALABAMA TAX PLAN Clergy speak up for plan Dick Armey supporter of bid for governor calls tax plan Associated Press Clergy from Protestant Roman Catholic and Jewish faiths joined forces Thursday to support Gov Bob tax plan with some saying the Christian Coalition of Alabama does not speak for all the faithful when it oppos es the proposal Meanwhile one of friends former House Majori ty Leader Dick Armey of Tex as rallied opponents of the tax plan in Birmingham Alabamians vote Tuesday on whether to approve $12 billion tax hike which would erase a $675 million budget shortfall and fund new education programs Rabbi Kenneth Segel of Temple Beth Or in Montgom ery said Alabamians are always willing to contribute money when their favorite university needs to build a new football stadium of raise a salary our children who are our greatest resource deserve the he asked In Birmingham Armey said he was speaking out against the tax package on behalf of the 6000 Alabama members of Citizens for a Sound Econ omy of which he is co chairman Armey said the sheer size of plan nearly dou ble the budget shortfall proves it is about the revenue to the think it is Armey said in an interview Armey served in the US House for six years with Riley and supported his election as governor last year But Armey has fought tax plan for weeks In visiting Alabama Armey said he has sensed an almost total distrust of government by conservatives and liberals alike a situation he called IN VISITING ALABAMA Armey said he has sensed an almost total distrust of government by conservatives and liberals alike a situation he called both unique and troublesome since each always starts at a disadvantage nth voters TAX PLAN CONTRIBUTIONS Details on who spent money campaigning A3 both unique and troublesome since each side always starts at a disadvantage with voters never seen this Armey said got nobody in (Montgomery) got a comfort level that makes them feel confident enough to take an At the Montgomery news conference clergy praised plan for lifting the tax burden on the poor while providing long overdue fund ing for public schools of my life it seems we have been struggling with a lot of these said Roman Catholic ather Ber nard Troncale of Montgom Church of the Holy Spirit The Christian Coalition of Alabama is opposing tax plan but some of the cler gy said the organization does not speak for them never met anybody who is a part of that organi 'said the Rev Sam ford Turner executive pres byter of the Presbytery of South Alabama The Rev Mark LaBranche Methodist chaplain at Hunt ingdon College in Montgom ery noted that the Christian Coalition of Alabama has not organized a news conference of clergy opposed to the tax plan John Giles state president of the Christian Coalition said the organization speaks for its 30000 members in Alabama He said the organi zation has opposed tax increases on families since its founding in 1989 Giles said the organization will be distributing an eight page tabloid newspaper Sun day at churches throughout the state The publication tells voters road to a better future is not paved with a tax While the Christian Coali tion of Alabama is opposing plan the Christian Coalition of America has endorsed it In addition sev eral religious organizations in Alabama have embraced the plan including the Alabama West lorida Conference of the United Methodist Church the Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley the Presbytery of South Alabama African Methodist Episcopal Zion of Alabama and Episco pal Diocesjrf Alabama UNITED WAY I Campaign off to fast start rom Cl leaders United Way funded program directors and recipi ents as well as public officials They sat under huge chande liers and dined on a menu of pan seared chicken breast grilled pork chops wild rice blend and apple pie United Way President Guy Sims introduced the theme for this 12 week campaign a statement reflecting how United Way makes a huge difference in the lives of the people in the com munity Money raised by Unit ed Way is allocated for 59 pro grams in the Georgia counties of Muscogee Harris Marion Taylor Stewart Chattahoochee and Talbot as well as Russell County in Alabama to United Way is a sound investment in our com said Sims measure the progress of every single agency and pro gram that we fund We look at the overall impact in specific need areas that are important to the community and which have the greatest results on Sims served as the campaign chairman last year when the local United Way reached its goal of $63 million Many oth er campaigns in Georgia came up short This goal is just $25000 more than last year know a difficult time in the Sims said want to send a message to the people of the Chattahoochee Valley that not taking them for granted Of course we have the need for much more He believes that Hill will be a RICHARD THOMASON Ledger Enquirer wr More than 1000 people attended United Way kickoff luncheon in the addition to the Columbus Convention Trade Center This pledges are higher than last year with 23 percent of the $6325000 goal already collected good leader for the campaign is a tremendous asset and excellent Sims said well known in the community and well respected He brings a lot of passion to United As for Hill confident of success takes teamwork to accomplish everything we do as a he said we have the leaders to reach this Contact Larry Gierer at (706) 571 8581 or lgiererledger enquirercom UNITED WAY What: United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley 2003 2004 campaign which is scheduled for 12 Campaign Chairman: Mike Hill Goal: $6325000 Already Pledged: $1432354 (23 percent of goal) Area Served: Harris Talbot Taylor Muscogee Chattahoochee Stewart and Marion counties in Georgia Russell County in Alabama unding: All money collected stays here Twenty one agencies and 59 programs receive funding including Urban League of Greater Columbus The amily Center CONTACT Stewart Community Home Columbus Hospice and Salvation Army Information: Call (706) 327 3255 or infounitedwayofthecvorg VERDICT I Defense: Williams forced into robbery COOPER said the prosecutors had no evidence of direct intentional involvement in the crime rom Cl out of the wall and patted Ezekiel down searching for his wallet Ezekiel then grabbed his own handgun and shot both robbers Vangue collapsed in a nearby yard minutes after the crime Ziegenhain said Police found Vangue then EMTs rushed him to The Medical Center where he died the following morning Police arrested Williams about 2 am when he went to the hospital to get treatment for his gunshot wound Defense attorney Melvin Cooper said Williams was at the wrong place at the wrong time Williams went to the store to buy a soda on his way to his house Coo per said Vangue forced Wil liams to help with the robbery by threatening him and demanding that he grab the money Ezekiel and ields testified that while Vangue had the handgun both men were involved in the robbery ields identified Williams who flirted with her before the robbery Williams told the jury that he thought he had talked Vangue out of robbing the store He said he was trying to buy sodas hot rob anyone Williams admitted that he grabbed money from the cash register but said he felt threat ened by Vangue who had the gun During closing arguments Assistant District Attorney Stacey Jackson said Williams acted like a guilty man when he ran from the scene then refused to seek medical help for hours He lied to police a friend and his girlfriend when he told differing stories about being shot Before the trial he never told anyone he was frightened of Vangue or forced to commit the crime Cooper said the prosecutors had no evidence of direct intentional involvement in the crime He argued that telling lies did not make Wil liams guilty of robbery are trying to make him accountable for the actions of drug smoking gun toting Carlos Cooper said The jury found Williams guilty of theft by taking for snatching money from the cash register but acquitted him of armed robbery kidnapping aggravated assault and posses sion of a handgun during the commission of a crime is a tremendous victo ry for Cooper said Lord blessed Ezekiel has never faced criminal charges for shooting Vangue or Williams District Attorney Gray Con ger said at the time of the shootings that Georgia law includes strong self defense rights depends on the facts in the he said Georgia has a vigorous right of self defense and defense against Contact Meg Pirnie at (706) 571 8643 or mpirnieledger enquirercom LOOP I Red Devil football games on TV 16 rom Cl turn on your PlayStation or Xbox a random said Mark Strunk Kristin's dad Sports apparently filmed students at several different schools You might get Auburn when you turn on the game you might not But if you play it enough see ittingly at the end of each spot students yell the compa motto: Sports: in the on these pages last week hails from While a bridge crossing the Missouri River was being built in the 1800s thus opening the way for more migration from East to West packages would arrive almost daily for the con struction crew Since the set tlement had no name mail was stamped Mo (for Missouri) Bridge Hey that was good enough for the city fathers Mobridge it was! The city is now best known as the burial site of Sitting Bull Mobridge stands alone While there are a dozen or more cities in America named Columbus only one Mobridge And in South Dakota where June Livesey the Columbus woman profiled Central on TV 16 No you mistaken that was a football game on WCGT TV 16 Labor Day night In fact for the rest of the foot ball season the local indepen dent channel will carry all of ACCESSORIES 1 AUTO TRUCK VAN MARK EDWARDS ACCESSORIES WAREHOUSE SAME LOCATION SINCE 1969 706 689 0745 ALL SUMMER MERCHANDISE Up TO 75 Off 11 9th Street Dillingham Place UP Mon ri 10 5:30 Sat 10 4 Central home and away games on a delayed basis Veteran Red Devil broadcast er Chris Blackshear handles the play by play with Mark Wooten supplying color and rankie Bell performing side line duties Mike Pelkey of TV 16 is the director producer of each broadcast In addition to prep coverage WCGT will also be the home of the Tommy Tuberville (Au burn) Mark Richt (Georgia) and Chan Gailey (Georgia Tech) shows The AU and UGA shows air immediately after the Central telecast Contact Mick Walsh at (706) 571 8588 or mwalshledger enquirercom JAY AUTO MALL JAY COLLISION CENTER INSIDE JAY AUTO MAI I rom Major Collisions To Minor Dings (706) 324 5823 I Wynton Marsalis WWW ULI KM THE KRMHINSAITS and The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra a Thursday September 25 2003 7:30 pm ar 1 888 332 5200 JAY AUTO MALL JAY COLLISION CENTER INSIDE JAY AUTO MALL ACCESSORIES 1 AUTO TRUCK VAN MARK EDWARDS ACCESSORIES WAREHOUSE SAME LOCATION SINCE 1969 706 689 0745 WWW II.