1 Motcrsports Extra Winless Rusty Wallace could be a quiet threat for the NASCAR Winston Cup titleSB THURSDAY Also inside Nation: Texas schools go to court over academic meet4A Messenger Inquirer Region Courthouse trees were convenient for lynchings, Keith Lawrence says1 Vol.128, No. 94 OWENSBORO april 4, 2002 vvvvw.messenger-inquirer.com 1 i' Israelis take bissest West Bank wilv j-, Uj. I ZZ More Iraq's Saddam Hussein has increased money for the relatives of Palestinian suicide bombers from $10,000 to $25,000. Story, Page 2A ---''I ft understands and respects Israel's right to defend herself," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said. Secretary of State Colin Powell said he was weighing a meeting with Israeli and Arab leaders during a trip to Europe next week.
"My mind is open," Powell told reporters at the State Department "We are examining all possibilities. I would not rule out meeting with anybody where it would serve a useful purpose." Powell later said in an interview with CBS' "60 Minutes II" that it was not out of the question that he would go to the Middle East Also, Powell said, he intends to step up his efforts to have a Palestinian state emerge quickly, once negotiations are resumed. "The Palestinian people have to see that there is a political process, and not just a cease-fire and security process which will lead quickly to a Palestinian state," Powell said. See IsraelisPage 2A 1j 1- Israeli soldiers pass a demolished vehicle Wednesday as they patrol a street in the West Bank town of Bethlehem. Scores of Palestinian gunmen are hiding inside Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, seeking refuge from GENERAL ASSEMBLY IRS says taxpayers sticking with paper Budget, a lot more will mark final day of session Gunmen holed up in church in Bethlehem By Ibrahim Hazboun Associated Press BETHLEHEM, West Bank Israeli tanks rolled into the West Bank's largest city, Nablus, on Wednesday, and other troops laid siege to a refugee camp in Jenin, battling Palestinians who barricaded entrances and fought back with bombs and guns.
Soldiers also encircled hundreds of Palestinian gunmen holed up in the church marking Jesus' birthplace. Twelve Palestinians and an Israeli soldier were killed on the sixth day of Israel's offensive aimed at crushing Palestinian militias and stopping terror attacks on Israeli civilians. Shortly before midnight, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon convened the Security Cabinet, made up of his most senior ministers, to approve the next stage of the open- ended Operation Protective Wall. Only two major West Bank towns Hebron and Jericho were still under Palestinian control late Wednesday. President Bush repeated his support for the Israeli assault.
"He Catholic students plan new flag run Display of patriotism was first held in 1969 By Mark Cooper Messenger-Inquirer It was a lark, really, the idea of Owensboro Catholic High School students running an American flag the roughly 150 miles from the state Capitol in Frankfort to Owensboro, Shelby Thompson said. But the Vietnam War was splitting the country in two in the late 1960s and such a public display of patriotism just seemed the right thing to do, said Thompson, an Owensboro dentist who was one of the first flag runners in 1969. "There was a lot of antigovern-ment stuff," he said. "It was sort of a response to all the negativity of the '60s. I was a young guy, and I'd do anything to get out of school.
We just wanted to see if we could do it" The flag run continued for a few years before students lost interest in the tradition. But on Sunday, a group of as many as 32 Owensboro Catholic High School students will try to repeat the 26-hour event, this time running six American flags from Frankfort to Owensboro. The flag run, beginning in Frankfort at 9 a.m., will honor local police officers and firefighters, said assistant principal Bruce Embry, who is organizing the event One flag will fly at the high school, while the other five are to be given to representatives of the Owensboro Police Department, Daviess County Sheriff's Department, Daviess County Fire Department, Daviess County volunteer firefighters and the Kentucky State Police during a ceremony at 2 p.m. Monday at the school. "I've never seen high school kids so positive about law enforcement and firefighters, said Embry, who also ran in 1969.
"Sept 11 has had an impact on it, no doubt about it" See RunPage 2A i 4 Associated Press part of an offensive aimed at crushing Talks aimed at getting the Palestinians Two local Republican House members say there is still time to hammer out a budget, and one Democrat senator says he can't predict the outcome. "I think more than likely we're going to have a budget by April 15," said Rep. Brian Crall, an Owensboro Republican. "In general, the changes in the budgets are policy-related and are minor compared to the overall content of the budget" Rep. Mark Treesh, a Philpot Republican, also thinks a budget can be negotiated before the 15th if House and Senate leadership will work on the issue before then.
"A special session doesn't really solve anything," Treesh said. "There's a little bit more public pressure on, since it requires calling the entire legislature back into session for five days." See BudgetPage 2A The case is complex because while Wright has charges pending, he cannot be compelled to testify against the officers, Wethington said. Once Wright's charges are resolved, he will testify in the case, Wethington said. Wright was arrested on Dec. 2 on multiple felony charges including manufacturing methampheta-mine.
He initially was a passenger in a pickup stopped by police. Wright is accused of speeding away in the truck while officers were outside talking with the driver. Officers pursued Wright until he left the truck and began running. Officers caught him in the 100 block of Ewing Road. The alleged excessive force was videotaped by the cameras inside the police cruisers.
An internal investigation resulted See OfficersPage 2A free Hines, a University of Michigan economics professor. "It would be a small carrot" The IRS and major tax preparers say they are showing significant growth in electronic filing, which is usually provided for a fee through a tax professional, with personal computer software or directly online via an Internet site. Some preparers don't charge e-filing fees, particularly for lower-income people, while others offer rebates. Through last week, the IRS had received 33.6 million returns prepared on computer, almost 17 percent above the same period last year. That includes 6.7 million prepared by taxpayers at home, up 39 percent from last year.
These growth numbers can be misleading, however. About a third of these e-filed returns came from Block, the nation's largest tax preparation firm, and the e-filed total is less than half of the overall number of returns received so far. See IRSPage 2A Despite push to e-file, most returns will be stamped and mailed By Curt Anderson Associated Press WASHINGTON Despite heavy electronic-filing promotion by the IRS and makers of tax software, most of this year's income tax returns will still be stamped and mailed the old-fashioned way. About 87 million of projected 132 million returns are expected to be filed on paper, underscoring the challenge faced by the Internal Revenue Service to become more computer-compatible and less buried in paper. Without some kind of financial incentive one idea is a $25 tax credit for e-filers experts say millions of taxpayers will stick to tried-and-true paper returns for years to come.
"Can the government meet its targets? Absolutely, if they give the right incentives," said James Local lawmakers split on whether deal can be reached By Joy Campbell Messenger-Inquirer Some local legislators are more optimistic than others about whether the General Assembly will agree on Kentucky's two-year budget when it reconvenes April 15 for the final day of this session. The budget tops a sizable list of unfinished business the two chambers will address. "I think both sides have drawn lines in the sand, and there's a high probability we will have no budget on the 15th," said Rep. Brent Yonts, a Greenville Democrat. "I think there will be a special session." Israeli troops who invaded the city as Palestinian militias in the West Bank.
out of the church failed Wednesday. More Lawmakers left the Capitol with stacks of legislation left in limbo, setting up a climactic finale to the 2002 General Assembly that could turn into a rush to pass bills. Story, Page 5C. If the General Assembly does not pass a budget bill, Gov. Paul Patton could call a special session to address it The major sticking point is whether to continue to have partial public funding of gubernatorial elections.
The Democrat-controlled House budget supported by Patton, keeps the funding intact. The Republican-dominated Senate removes it charges. The dismissal does not mean the case is closed against the officers, Daviess Commonwealth's Attorney Jay Wethington said. A dismissal without prejudice leaves prosecutors the option of reinstating the charges, possibly after the felony charges against Wright have been resolved. That is most likely what will happen, Wethington said.
Wethington said he expects Jus-' tice, who was appointed as a special prosecutor, will continue to serve as prosecutor in the case against Burns and Ballard. By dismissing the case. Justice will have the chance to start over and take the allegations against the officers before a grand jury. Wethington said he will work to resolve the felony charges against Wright while Justice pursues the case against Bums and Ballard. Region List makes choosing a smoke restaurant easier 1 Judge agrees to dismiss charges against two city police officers Volunteer shortage Prosecutors have option of reopening assault case By Justin Willis Messenger-Inquirer Prosecutors sought the dismissal of assault charges Wednesday against an officer and sergeant with the Owensboro Police Department that stemmed from allegations of excessive force during a December arrest Assistant Warren County Attorney Jill Justice requested that the fourth-degree assault charges against city police Officer George Ballard and Sgt Bruce Burns be dismissed without prejudice.
Justice cited the pending felony charges against the alleged victim, Roy Lee Wright, 29, and his refusal to testify. Warren County District Judge Sam Potter agreed to dismiss the Your Health Associated Press Phil Stittleburg, chief of the volunteer fire department in LaFarge, and chairman of the National Volunteer Fire Council, stands with two trucks at the department's garage Saturday. Stittleburg and the council are working to change a two-decade decline in the number of recruits volunteering for fire departments. Story, Page 3A Actress Kathleen Turner tells of her battle with rheumatoid arthritis1 Ann Landers20 Movies20 Television3D Astrotogy2D OpiniorV5A Your Health Classified3-6D Records2C 1-2D Comics. 5B Region1 -SC Markets4B Sports1 -B 24 pages, four sections Sports A day after his worst scoring game ever, Michael Jordan says he's out for the rest of the seasonIB '57211 11111' 6.
