Hattiesburg American from Hattiesburg, Mississippi • 9

PINE BELT LOCAL NEWS EDITOR: Jan Fraser: 584-3118 E-mail address HBAmericanaol.com Friday, April 2, 1999 9A raod face ewcftodDOD speeds Din Leases forbid criminal activity By CATHI CARR AMERICAN Staff Writer At least two Laurel residents jailed last week on federal drug trafficking charges will be asked to leave their homes in federally subsidized housing. Two other residents who allowed those charged to live with them also will be asked to leave as well. "We have a one-strike, you're out policy," said Kay Guy, director of the Laurel Housing Authority. Subsidized housing residents must sign leases that forbid criminal activity, including manufacture, sale, distribution or use of drugs, said a Hattiesburg real estate manager. We're deflating the purpose if we allow them to stay," said John Fox, who manages the 100-unit South Park Village Apartments in Laurel.

The whole reason is the children who are exposed to this." Last week, authorities tor at the housing authority, which oversees five government-owned complexes in the city. Fox said rental prices at the complex range from $25 to $275 a month, with all utilities paid. The South Park complex has been owned and managed by J. Ed Turner Properties of Jackson for the past 15 years. Guy said her tenants pay rent that amounts to 30 percent of their income, with a minimum rent of $50.

She said she asked two tenants last year to leave under similar circumstances. about it is the people who apply to live there and let other people stay with them." Guy said that tenants who apply to stay in federal Housing and Urban Development properties must go through extensive income checks to be eligible for reduced rent. One resident in the Triangle Homes unit on South Fourth Avenue broke her lease by allowing someone to live with her who was arrested in the drug bust. "If they're arrested, they've broken their lease," said Tammy Hull, program direc Easter Bunny's helpers Lawmakers mop up after 'good year' AM A arrested nearly three dozen people on cocaine trafficking charges following indictments by a federal grand jury in February. Authorities made the arrests in Laurel, where they also confiscated crack cocaine, 100 pounds of marijuana, nearly $37,000 in cash and several weapons.

Nearly all those arrested were charged with conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine. Others also were charged under federal forfeiture law that allows the government to seize prop attacks Retzer is telling," the attorney general said. "It's one thing to play politics, but it's another thing to tell lies." Retzer defended the letter, which seeks money for unspecified party activities, saying there was nothing untrue about the payments to private lawyers. "Is it not true? Did he not handpick a group of his supporters to represent the state of Mississippi?" Retzer asked. "If you were an elected official and had the opportunity to give.

$1.5 billion to your friends or use it to improve the health of our state's citizens what would you do?" the letter asks. "The question )fv I tEh f' Liyy- Police seek man in attack on senior The Lamar County Sheriffs Department is looking for a man who sexually assaulted an 86-year-old woman at her home on Mississippi 44 near Sumrall Monday night. The suspect, described as a 25-year-old male, slim build with light-colored hair, knocked on the door of the victim's house at midnight and asked to use the telephone, said Fred Steele, Lamar County sheriff's investigator. The man then barged into the house, assaulted the woman and demanded money. The suspect then went out to her car and stole her wallet containing about $25 plus her credit card and driver's license, Steele said.

The Lamar County Sheriff's Department asks anyone with information to call 794-8610 or 544 2412. New area code starts April 19 TUPELO North Mississippi residents will get a new area code on April 19. The area code for. all of Mississippi north of Interstate 20 will change from 601 to 662. Callers will able to use either area code for the next year, but after that only the 662 code will get through, said BellSouth spokesman Mike Walker.

Walker said the phone company plans an advertising and media campaign closer to the April 19 changeover date to alert the public to the change. Ex-lawman, wife could vote again JACKSON Former Sheriff Warren Slater of Walthall County and his wife, Janie, would regain the right to vote in bills sent Thursday to the governor. Slater, who was elected sheriff in 1995, was convicted on two counts of fraud and two lesser offenses of unauthorized appropriations in August 1997. He was removed from office. Janie Slater was convicted of wire fraud and a lesser offense of unauthorized appropriation.

The two were given suspended sentences and placed on probation for five years. Slater sent his 1985 Chevrolet Caprice to Taylor Automotive in Franklinton, on June 17, 1996, and had repairs charged to the county. The indictment claimed that Slater reported the work was done on a county-owned car. Authorities arrest 11 on drug charges TUPELO Authorities have arrested 11 people for allegedly selling cocaine and marijuana in Chickasaw County. The suspects remained in jail Thursday pending an initial appearance in court.

The arrests were made by the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Chickasaw County sheriff's deputies, Okolona police and North Mississippi Narcotics agents. A 16-year-old juvenile suspect was among those charged on 14 counts of sale of cocaine and two counts of sale of mari Allison DoughtyHattiesburg American Loren Eaton, of the local Lions Club, and Sally Hanson place dyed eggs into crates to be placed in Kamper Park on Easter for the 52nd Annual Easter Egg Hunt which begins at 8 a.m. Lions Club members colored 4,000 eggs. GOP message erty. At least five of them listed addresses in the South Park complex.

Fox said he confirmed one of the suspects was living at the complex, and two others were living with people who had signed leases. He will write letters to the tenants asking them to leave, and if they do not, he plans to begin eviction proceedings. Tve never had to take it that far, but I'm prepared to do that," said Fox, who asked two previous tenants to leave under similar circumstances. The most aggravating thing Moore may sound crazy, but that is the exact dilemma Democrat Attorney General Mike Moore was faced with last year when negotiating the settlement with the tobacco industry." It accused Moore of leading "the fight to make sure trial lawyers' received $1.5 billion of the tobacco lawsuit settlement." Moore filed the suit in 1994 to recover public costs of treating smoking-related illnesses. In 1997, he negotiated a $4.1 billion settlement over 25 years.

Attorneys' fees were negotiated separately and are not being paid out of state winnings. HAVE YOU MET? HENRY i ym WOODYARD It; 30, I I general 9 5 manager at Western sizzim, Ellisville Woodyard says he would like to be an engineer because "I love math and numbers and solving problems." Donation appeal points to tobacco settlement JACKSON (AP) Attorney General Mike Moore's activities related to Mississippi's $4.1 billion tobacco settlement are targeted in a just-released Republican Party fund-raising letter. The two-page election-year appeal for donations is signed by GOP Chairman Mike Ret-zer of Greenville. It began arriving in mailboxes statewide this week. "Attorney General Mike Moore doesn't want you to Unresolved issues may spur special session By GINA HOLLAND Associated Press Writer JACKSON Mississippi lawmakers put the finishing touches on a plan to help parents get their youngsters school-ready, then packed up their belongings and left the Capitol.

"We had a good year. We really have done all we can do without doing any harm. Now it's time to get back home and try to make a living and get out and campaign some," said Sen. Terry Burton, D-Newton. But many expect to return later for a special session to deal with unresolved issues.

Senators were at odds over one bill dealing which child care facility licensure. It died because the Senate did not meet Friday. Both sides did agree to authorize a pilot project for community family support centers around the state that would offer things like parenting classes, support groups, resource libraries and referral services. Legislators had worked for some time on a compromise, Sen. Alan Nunnelee, R-Tupe-lo, said a first proposal "actually had employees of state government going to the hospital to visit families when their children were born." "That's going way too far," he said.

The $1.4 million pilot program will include at least five community centers around the state and parents can use them if they want to. Also Thursday, Gov. Kirk Fordice signed into law the tobacco trust fund, which some lawmakers said was FY The American Association of Retired Persons tax aide program offers free income tax preparation and filing assistance through April 15. For information, call Carolyn Howell at 583-4318. LET'S HEAR FROM YOU To submit items for Pine Belt, send them to Jan Fraser, Hattiesburg American, P.O.

Box 1111, Hattiesburg, Miss. 39403 or fax them to 584-3130. Stcrt Legislature the biggest accomplishment of the three-month session. It sets up a fund for the $4 billion tobacco settlement negotiated by Attorney General Mike Moore. Interest can be used for health care.

This year about $50 million in interest is being used for such things as eyeglasses for Medicaid recipients, mental health programs, children's insurance and trauma care. "Literally thousands of people will live a better quality of life and there will be people who live who otherwise would have died," said Senate Public Health Committee chairman Jim Bean, R-Hattiesburg. "It's landmark." Fordice will spend the weekend reviewing hundreds of other bills. If he vetoes any budget proposals, the teacher pay raise or the nursing home expansion plan, then lawmakers will return to the Capitol next Wednesday to deal with them. "The Legislature will be back in session before year's in," predicted Sen.

Dick Hall, R-Madison, who leaves the Senate next week for a vacancy on the Transportation Commission. Hall said there are two matters Fordice wants addressed, an income tax reduction and an appointment to the Workers Compensation Commission. "I think the governor has every intention of making the Legislature vote it (tax cut) up or down." said Hall. While fellow state senator and friend Billy Thames, D-Mize, holds a resolution honoring him, Jim Bean, R-Hattiesburg, left, expresses his gratitude to colleagues for their support and friendship, at the Capitol in Jackson. Bean said he will not run for re-election this fall.

The Associated Press FROM OUR FILES April 2, 1985 WASHINGTON The Soviet Union is continuing a rapid buildup and modernization of its nuclear and conventional forces and is farther along than the United States in developing "Star Wars-type" defenses, the Pentagon reported today. The Soviet buildup is reflected in the emergence of new ballistic and cruise missiles; construction of much more capable fighter and bomber aircraft; and an increase in the number of ground forces from 194 active divisions to 199. Colleagues honor Bean 5-day standoff ends; man turns over son see what's inside," is the message on the envelope. Inside, Moore is criticized for using private attor- npva in nwn- tiations with Moore cigarette makers. These attorneys were later awarded fees totaling in the millions of dollars.

Moore said there was "not even one grain of truth" in the letter." "Mike Moore absolutely wants you to see what's inside because I want you to see what kind of lies Mike "We are glad that everyone is safe," Graham said. "No one attempted to use a weapon. Everyone is under control." The standoff began Sunday morning when Southern's sister placed a 911 call during which she said her brother, who she described as "distraught," had a gun and was in the hotel with his two sons. Southern refused to come out, and barricaded himself and his sons in a room in the three-story hotel. Southern, who operates check cashing businesses in Jackson and Memphis, had repeatedly said he feared he would be killed if he left the room.

vention Center. May 3 Hattiesburg City Council agenda-setting meeting, 4 p.m., City Hall. May 4 Hattiesburg City Council meeting, 4 p.m., City Hall. May 17 Hattiesburg City Council agenda-setting meeting, 4 p.m., City Hall. May 18 Hattiesburg City Council meeting, 4 p.m., City Hall.

IMC, juana. Columbus names road committee COLUMBUS The Columbus City Council has appointed a special committee to recommend a million-dollar road project the city can now tackle with accumulated state funds. Approximately $1.4 million in state money is in the city's coffers to be used for a road-enhancement project, which is about enough money to widen and improve one road. The state money, called STP funds, accumulates over several years, according to secretary-treasurer Joe Taggart. From staff, wire reports PUBLIC MEETINGS i i Vol ijID Mni -j Linaf ml in- i in mm i'm ii ibiini -ilhin JACKSON (AP) The five-day hostage standoff between Willie Southern and police ended peacefully when the man jumped out of his hotel room window and surrendered to authorities Thursday evening.

Southern, 34, of Memphis, tossed his gun from the room and climbed out of the window of the ground-floor hotel with his 9-year-old son in his arms, concluding a bizarre standoff with no threats or demands made by both sides. The hostage situation ended peacefully as authorities anticipated, said police spokesman Robert Graham. ent candidate Donald J. Henderson, p.m., Hattiesburg High School library. Hattiesburg City Council meeting, 4 p.m., City Hall.

April 19 Hattiesburg City Council agenda-setting meeting, 4 p.m., City Hall. April 20 Hattiesburg City Council meeting, 4 p.m., City Hall. April 22 Hattiesburg Convention and Visitors Bureau board, noon, second floor board room, Lake Terrace Con DID YOU HEAR? Representatives of more than 78 school districts in nine states plan to attend the 22nd annual Education Recruitment Day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 15 in the Payne Center fitness complex at the University of Southern Mississippi.

Student and alumni participants should register with Career Planning and Placement for scheduled interview times. Information is at the Career Planning and Placement office, 112 McLemore Hall, or call Billy Folkes, USM education recruitment specialist, at 266-4153. Monday Meet Hattiesburg Public 1 School District superintend- candidate James H. Fox p.m., Hattiesburg High School library. I Lamar County Board of Supervisors, 9 a.m., board room, Courthouse, Purvis.

Hattiesburg City Council agenda-setting meeting, 4 p.m., City Hall. Lamar County School Board, 6:30 p.m., Purvis High School library. April 6 Meet Hattiesburg Public School District superintend.