Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service articles from August 1999

Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service archives from August 1999

Holocaust survivor takes Graham to task for column on interfaith marriage.
August 31, 1999... CHARLOTTE, N.C. _ The Carolinas' most prominent Holocaust survivor blasted the Carolinas' best-known evangelist on Monday for warning Christians against marrying outside their faith. Susan Cernyak-Spatz of Charlotte called Billy Graham's...

Politicians, parents face same questions about past drug use.
August 31, 1999... Once again, in our relentless search for ``truth'' (or at least something to write and argue about), Texas Gov. George W. Bush is being grilled about drug use in his past. Ever the politician, the Republican presidential candidate is giving...

Beach patrols fear effects of riptides.
August 30, 1999... SURFSIDE BEACH, S.C. _ As Hurricane Dennis creeps toward the Carolinas, there's a big worry even before it blows in: Riptides. Days before storms like Dennis arrive, they can cause bigger waves that draw surfers and swimmers _ but...

Hurricane Dennis expected to brush by Florida, remain in Atlantic.
August 30, 1999... MIAMI _ Hurricane Dennis shifted course Friday and suddenly threatened Central and North Florida with a glancing blow and maybe more. Forecasters posted alerts. Civil defense authorities stood ready to order partial evacuations Saturday. ...

Hatteras lighthouse's new home busy getting hurricane-proofed.
August 30, 1999... The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is safe and secure in its new home this hurricane season, officials say, but workers are protecting the site against possible strong gusts this weekend. ``The lighthouse itself is totally ready. Nothing can...

Scientist urges biology professors to stay away.
August 30, 1999... TOPEKA, Kan. _ A top national scientist has recommended that biology professors steer clear of Kansas because of the State Board of Education's decision to de-emphasize the teaching of evolution. Maxine Singer, president of the Carnegie...

A payment zips out of your account a lot faster than it used to.
August 30, 1999... CHARLOTTE, N.C. _ When Chris Condon stands in the Harris Teeter checkout lane, the 34-year-old Charlotte resident is one of a growing number of Americans who reaches not for cash, nor for her checkbook, but for a debit card. Swiping the card...

`The Crow' hasn't died; it's just gone straight to video.
August 30, 1999... Three years ago, ``The Crow: City of Angels'' set a Labor Day weekend box-office record for a new movie, earning more than $10 million in three days. But word-of-mouth about the cheapie sequel to Brandon Lee's ``The Crow'' (1994) was so...

Bush expands on 'compassionate conservatism' during campaign stop.
August 27, 1999... MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. _ Compassionate conservatism means holding the parents of illegitimate children responsible but making sure the children have what they need, Texas Gov. George W. Bush told an appreciative crowd Thursday morning during a...

Miami mayor pledges boost in security at airport.
August 27, 1999... MIAMI _ Facing the latest in a long series of smuggling scandals at Miami International Airport, Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas said Thursday the county is tightening security to prevent the type of smuggling activity that led to dozens of...

Floridians wait as Hurricane Dennis gets organized.
August 27, 1999... MIAMI _ Hurricane Dennis, stalled for nearly a day in the southern Bahamas, finally began moving Thursday. Then, it stalled again. Soon, it was expected to move again. Maybe. Hurricane Dennis was proving to be a very disobedient storm. ...

Penelas: the county tightens security to prevent smuggling scandals.
August 27, 1999... MIAMI _ Facing the latest in a long series of smuggling scandals at Miami International Airport, Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas said Thursday the county is tightening security to prevent the type of smuggling activity that led to dozens of...

Timing for new diabetes drugs couldn't be better.
August 27, 1999... Q. I have read that a promising new drug will soon be out for treating diabetes. Do you know the details? A. You could be referring to either Avandia or Actos. Avandia just came out and Actos is expected to become available very soon. ...

Overweight kids may be putting themselves at greater risk for diabetes.
August 27, 1999... MIAMI _ Marcus Matthews is just 16 but suffers from a form of diabetes that typically doesn't afflict people until they are combing gray hair. A decade ago, such teen-age sufferers of Type 2 diabetes were unheard of. Today, he is part of...

Being a sewer worker is vile, smelly and highly dangerous, but someone has to do it.
August 27, 1999... HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. _ There is high-tech, there is low-tech and, in the primeval world of sewer maintenance, there is funk-tech. Funk, in this case, is not a musical term. ``We'll use Big Betty today,'' says Roy Parrino, nodding...

Keys residents deserve a break.
August 26, 1999... Fed-up residents of the Florida Keys won't get the opportunity to vote on how $7 million of tourist taxes are divvied up. That's because the Monroe County Commission, true to form, has beat a hasty retreat from the idea of putting the...

Army hopes young recruiters can boost ranks.
August 26, 1999... NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. _ This fall, Corporal Randolph Hughes will stride back onto campus at Goose Creek High School wearing his snappy, light green ``Class A'' uniform. Three years removed from English and gym class there, the muscular...

Boycott changed tone of race relations in Conway.
August 25, 1999... CONWAY, S.C. _ Conway High School football star Andrea Gause will run with the football hundreds of times this year, concentrating on avoiding would-be-tacklers. The ghosts of the 1989 boycott won't be chasing, won't tug at his jersey....

Columbine survivors must be wary of celebrity.
August 25, 1999... They're not just victims any more. In an inspiring, unprecedented yet slightly unsettling way, the friends and loved ones of the students killed at Columbine High School have become public figures. There they are on national TV with...

Military intelligence specialists train in elaborate simulation.
August 25, 1999... HOMESTEAD, Fla. _ The weary prisoner of war finally spilled a significant secret in hour two of Army Pvt. Aimee Bojorquez's interrogation. Pointing to a map in the murk of a lone light bulb, Atlantican Lt. Andre James showed where the...

If interest rates rise, demand for loans won't fall, experts say.
August 24, 1999... Interest rates may be rising, but that's apparently not enough to sate business borrowers' appetite for credit. The Federal Reserve will announce Tuesday whether it will raise interest rates, and most economists expect a...

Local lakes dip below typical levels.
August 24, 1999... Drought conditions and Duke Energy's increased hydroelectric power needs are taking their toll on some Catawba River lakes, dropping them below typical summer levels. Lower water means boaters are hitting unexpected sandbars, it's harder...

School board reverses Star of David pendant decision.
August 24, 1999... GULFPORT, Miss. _ The Harrison County School Board voted Monday to reverse last week's decision and allow Ryan Green to wear his Star of David pendant to school. The unanimous decision came after the board went into closed session at the...

ACLU continues with lawsuit against Harrison school board.
August 23, 1999... BILOXI, Miss. _ The American Civil Liberties Union filed a suit against the Harrison County (Gulfport, Miss.) School Board on Friday on behalf of Ryan Green and his right to wear a Star of David pendant to school. The move came even...

Oliver Stone turns his camera to NFL.
August 23, 1999... MIAMI _ Oliver Stone yells, ``Cut! Outstanding. That's a wrap,'' and everyone figures the shot is perfect. Al Pacino lights a celebratory Cuban cigar, James Woods smiles his approval, and Dennis Quaid figures he can take the rest of the...

Researchers fail to find Earhart's bones, but new clue will aid next search.
August 23, 1999... CHARLOTTE, N.C. _ The Amelia Earhart mystery lives on. A search team, which included a University of North Carolina-Charlotte anthropologist, didn't find the pioneer pilot's bones in Fiji. But the expedition's leader said Friday it...

Wanted: One Reform Party candidate for president.
August 23, 1999... ORLANDO, Fla. _ Wanted: One candidate for president of the United States. Preferred: Little political experience. Benefits: $12.6 million. The Reform Party, once the political domain of Texas billionaire Ross Perot, is...

Most mango dishes need wines with at least a bit of sweetness.
August 23, 1999... The mango is the zucchini of the subtropics. There's no such thing as the right amount. When they're out of season, you have none. When they're in season, in your backyard, your supply is infinite. They drop, rot, draw flies, coat your ankles...

Racial profiling: It's ugly and wrong.
August 23, 1999... Here's a not-so-simple question: How much freedom would you be willing to give up to help the government's war on drugs? Forgo your right to call a lawyer if held for questioning? Give up your right to privacy? Agree not to call a friend...

Carolinas schools move slightly in new U.S. News rankings.
August 20, 1999... CHARLOTTE, N.C. _ If you're a high school senior shopping for a college or a parent paying for it, U.S. News & World Report has its picks lined up in the annual ``Best Colleges'' report due out next week. Of Carolinas schools, Duke...

State faces sanctions for failing to build nuclear waste facility.
August 20, 1999... CHARLOTTE, N.C. _ North Carolina should build the low-level nuclear waste facility it promised 13 years ago or return the $80 million a regional commission has invested in it, members from six states agreed Thursday. The Southeast...

Board will reconsider religious symbol.
August 20, 1999... BILOXI, Miss. _ Representatives from the Harrison County School District agreed to review a board decision banning the Star of David during a private meeting Thursday that included representatives from the Jewish community, law enforcement...

Jury acquits mother of attempted murder of her daughter.
August 19, 1999... ORLANDO, Fla. _ Faced with a gut-wrenchingly emotional and complex task, jurors in the high-profile trial of Shirley Egan on Wednesday acquitted the 68-year-old woman of the attempted murder of her daughter, who took herself off life support...

Food Lion to buy rival Hannaford; Maine chain likely to retain identity.
August 19, 1999... CHARLOTTE, N.C. _ Food Lion, which grew into a dominant Southeast grocer and all-star stock until stumbling in the 1990s, leaped into the Northeast by agreeing Wednesday to buy Hannaford Brothers. The move preserves the Hannaford chain,...

Myrtle Beach S.C.'s top camping destination.
August 19, 1999... MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. _ Travel back in time to the mid-1950s, and picture yourself camping in Myrtle Beach. You would have to haul water from a central location and do without electricity. And if Myrtle Beach State Park was full, you...

The enemy right at home.
August 19, 1999... In the nightmares of many Americans and in images by the media, terror would come bearing an alien face. It would speak an incomprehensible language, swear allegiance to a foreign prince, bear a name you can't pronounce, worship an exotic...

Japan muscles up on defense; in a changing world, pacifism no longer may fit Japan.
August 19, 1999... The following editorial appeared in the Miami Herald on Wednesday, 8-18: X X X On the 54th anniversary of the end of World War II, a 71-year-old Japanese navy veteran observed ironically that one day Japan would take charge of its...

FTC, states tout crackdown on advance-fee loan scams.
August 19, 1999... Cora Brown wanted a $30,000 loan, so she called a toll-free number for a company that promised loans even to people with bankruptcies or poor credit. A telemarketer at the company promised the Liberty, N.C., resident she had the loan _...

County wants to pair more troubled kids with mentors.
August 19, 1999... MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. _ Fifteenth Circuit Solicitor Greg Hembree wants Horry County teens who have had brushes with the law to get a second chance. To give them that chance, Hembree wants more residents to act as youth mentors. The...

Lutheran bishop issues call supporting NAACP boycott.
August 19, 1999... South Carolina Lutherans expressed strong support Wednesday for a call to join the NAACP boycott of their state, and their national organization appears ready to move a planned meeting out of the state. At a meeting of the Conference of...

Lefty May, born in 1904, had seen it all in sports.
August 16, 1999... SAN JOSE, Calif. _ From Ernie Nevers to Mike Mussina, he saw them all, and he'll be back again next season, albeit in a different form. Lefty May, born J. Earle May in 1904, was laid to rest last week in a memorial service at Stanford's...

Medal of Honor recipients refuse to call themselves heroes.
August 16, 1999... KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ First, some etiquette. The 155 living American veterans who hold the Medal of Honor, this country's highest decoration for valor in action against an enemy force, never describe themselves as ``winners'' of the medal....

You can heal emotional pain by `reframing' your past.
August 16, 1999... Have you experienced a trying ordeal that has bothered you for years? Was it a bitter divorce? An unhappy childhood? Such an experience can easily cast anyone into a victim's role. You probably feel some sadness and gloom every time you...

Book unveils secret study in which orphans were trained to stutter.
August 16, 1999... Jerry Halvorson has plenty of empathy for a stutterer's fear of speaking. As a kid, he was severely chastised by a critical teacher for his fear of reading aloud. His speech phobia would shape his life's work. The University of...

The summer of shooters just won't ease up.
August 13, 1999... Like the progressive movement across the Earth's curvature of the century's last full eclipse of the sun, the arc of American violence and its aftermath crossed the country again on Tuesday. That day in a Georgia courtroom, psychiatrists...

School board deletes evolution from Kansas science standards.
August 12, 1999... TOPEKA, Kan. _ A sharply divided State Board of Education voted Wednesday to leave evolution out of science standards for Kansas students. The decision was hailed by those who say the Bible is the sole authority on creation, evolution...

The Chinese are not coming.
August 12, 1999... The Chinese are coming. At least that's the impression one gets from the talk shows and the rhetoric of certain politicians and pundits. Stealing American secrets and building up its nuclear capability, China _ with a booming economy and a...

Test your knowledge of the Scriptures.
August 11, 1999... Let's have some fun and see what you know about the Scriptures. You don't have to be a biblical scholar, a born-again Christian or even a believer in things religious to take this test. But most educated people should have some...

Birth order says more about your personality than many other determinants, a study finds.
August 10, 1999... MIAMI _ Kelly Condon, 20, of Pinecrest, Fla., jokes about the ``pain'' of being the eldest of five brothers and sisters: The one expected to be responsible, to lead, to be the conduit between parent and child. ``You kind of set the pace...

NATO must stop the carnage against Serbs or lose its credibility.
August 9, 1999... The following editorial appeared in the Miami Herald on Saturday, 8-7: X X X NATO's dubious victory in Kosovo would be hollow indeed if, in the end, it succeeds in saving ethnic Albanians but at the cost of driving all Serbs from...

She didn't mean to cause an international incident.
August 9, 1999... WICHITA, Kan. _ Justine Hamilton doesn't have anything bad to say about Russia. That's the first thing she wants you to know. So the 24-year-old Kansan would rather not talk about how she stepped off a plane into an international...

'Heritage' just another word for 'white power' in flag dispute.
August 6, 1999... COLUMBIA, S.C. _ Next time you hear state Sens. Arthur Ravenel and Glenn McConnell talk about ``heritage'' as a reason for keeping the Confederate flag flying over the State House, here's something to think about: Before the Civil War,...

We are confused about the difference between needs and wants.
August 6, 1999... Children need loving, attentive parents. They may want their own personal computer, a mountain bike, every CD the Backstreet Boys have made, a complete collection of Beanie Babies, a television in their bedroom. They may whine, ``I NEED...

A price too high for gun injuries.
August 5, 1999... The following editorial appeared in the Miami Herald on Wednesday, 8-4: X X X Economists put annual cost at $2.3 billion as Congress bickers. No matter the price, the cost of gun violence in America is unacceptably high....

Thomas succeeds off court as well.
August 4, 1999... FORT WAYNE, Ind. _ If nothing else, Isiah Thomas has shown he will take risks with his money. Thomas missed out on the salary boom that came with the NBA's rise in the mid-1990s, but he has done well for himself off the court. ''He...

Tracking the CBA's history.
August 4, 1999... Here is a time line look at how the Continental Basketball Association came about, from its roots as the Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League back in 1946. 1946 The Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League is founded April 23 in...

How to find archive art.
August 4, 1999... Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service Entertainment Budget for Tuesday, August 3, 1999 KRT News Desk: 202-383-6080 Entertainment Editor: John Price, 202-383-6083 KRT Photo Service: 202-383-6099 KRT Graphics Network:...

How to find archive art.
August 4, 1999... Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service Lifestyle and Entertainment Recap Budget for Tuesday, August 3, 1999 KRT News Desk: 202-383-6080 Lifestyle Editor: Brent Bierman, 202-383-6082 Entertainment and Travel Editor: John Price,...

Sheriff's sale of handguns voided by county board.
August 4, 1999... MIDDLESEX, Va. _ Middlesex Sheriff Weldon Dandridge has been told to buy back the four deputies' handguns he sold because he didn't follow state law. Dandridge recently sold three of the department's 9mm handguns to the Town of...

News of Isiah Thomas' purchase of CBA met with much optimism from players, coaches, league officials.
August 4, 1999... FORT WAYNE, Ind. _ Gerald Oliver has spent the past 16 seasons with Continental Basketball Association teams in one capacity or another, residing in six different cities and working with hundreds of players in that time. All along, he...

Chan Gailey, Johnny Oates endure daily integrity exam in Texas.
August 4, 1999... FORT WORTH _ Johnny Oates walks a fine line these days. So, obviously, does Chan Gailey. Personal integrity is a central issue in the professional and personal lives of both men. And that's not just these days, that's every day. But...

Chiefs coach Gunther Cunningham sends clear message about zero tolerance for penalties.
August 4, 1999... RIVER FALLS, Wis. _ After setting an NFL record for penalties last season, Kansas City is trying to mend its ways. And the Chiefs will or else. ``I'm going to kill somebody if we get too many penalties,'' said coach Gunther...

Chiefs defensive lineman Dan Williams says he was a fish out of water during holdout.
August 4, 1999... RIVER FALLS, Wis. _ Only Dan Williams now speaks for Dan Williams. The Kansas City defensive lineman still has his agent, but that agent won't be his mouthpiece. Not after the mess created last year that resulted in Williams sitting at...

People in the news.
August 4, 1999... SICK... OF TOURING? Whitney Houston has done it again. Citing illness, the pop diva canceled a concert in the San Francisco Bay area a mere hour before she was to perform on the last U.S. stop of her world tour. Most of the audience had...

4 IPOs end the day trading for less than their offering prices.
August 4, 1999... The market for initial public offerings inflicted pain on investors Tuesday, as shares in four newly public companies ended the day trading for less than their offering prices. The biggest surprise was 1-800-Flowers.com, which sells...

On-line stock brokers are set to suffer their first-ever decline in trading activity in sequential quarters.
August 4, 1999... The image of obsessive day-traders madly clicking away on their computer terminals may be in for a remake. Instead, picture those same traders staring idly into their screens, or taking time off for a trip to the beach, on-line experts...

Bank of America plans to give away more cash this year than any other corporation in America.
August 4, 1999... CHARLOTTE, N.C. _ Bank of America plans to give away more cash this year than any other corporation in America. According to The Chronicle of Philanthropy's survey of 91 of the nation's largest companies, the Charlotte-based bank will...

July sales sizzle for automakers.
August 4, 1999... DETROIT _ Americans bought more cars and trucks in July than ever before, as higher interest rates failed to slow 1999's march toward becoming the best year ever for U.S. auto sales. As the largest auto companies Tuesday reported strong...

WITH MOST SERBS GONE, CHANCE FOR MULTI-ETHNIC KOSOVO MAY BE OVER.
August 4, 1999... Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service News Budget for Tuesday, August 3, 1999 KRT News Desk: 202-383-6080, news(AT)krtinfo.com News desk supervisor: Assistant News Editor Yasmine Bahrani, 202-383-6094, ybahrani(AT)krtinfo.com ...

U.S. to pay Zapruder family $16 million for film of Kennedy assassination.
August 4, 1999... WASHINGTON _ A special panel ordered the government Tuesday to pay Abraham Zapruder's heirs $16 million plus interest for the historic home movie of President John F. Kennedy's assassination. On a 2-1 vote, the panel stressed testimony...

Seniors still find their mates sexually attractive, AARP study finds.
August 4, 1999... WASHINGTON _ At last, from the nation's capital, a sex story without scandal that even includes some good news: Americans older than 45 view sex as a significant part of their lives, value relationships as even more important and defy...

Brees, Dayne focus on victories not Heisman.
August 4, 1999... CHICAGO _ Purdue junior quarterback Drew Brees and Wisconsin senior running back Ron Dayne are being mentioned as leading Heisman Trophy candidates. But neither school is mounting an aggressive publicity campaign. And that's just fine with...

Downsizing? Michigan eyes softer games.
August 4, 1999... CHICAGO _ Michigan soon might end its proud practice of playing one of the nation's toughest football schedules. Coach Lloyd Carr has voiced concerns to athletic director Tom Goss, and both are exploring ways to cut back on difficult...

Brees, Dayne hold down the hype.
August 4, 1999... CHICAGO _ Drew Brees and Ron Dayne sat at separate tables, each drawing a respectable number of reporters. As time passed, the group surrounding Dayne dwindled, and the crowd around Brees grew larger. Dayne and Brees are Heisman...

Singh, Leonard driven back to Buick field.
August 4, 1999... GRAND BLANC, Mich. _ Some of golf's biggest names are missing from this week's Buick Open. Vijay Singh and Justin Leonard aren't. They're back mostly because, well, they like it here. ``I have no hard and fast rule on whether or not...

CART's future stays hitched to Detroit.
August 4, 1999... DETROIT _ American open-wheel racing has a serious case of chaos. And Bud Stanner has a race to run. Sunday's Detroit Grand Prix is the third race in a five-year deal with the Troy-based CART FedEx series. Stanner, of International...

One year after knee injury, Russell a jack of all trades.
August 4, 1999... SAGINAW, Mich. _ The anniversary is Saturday, Aug. 7. And Matt Russell plans to celebrate on the Detroit Lions practice field at Saginaw Valley State University. He will work with the Lions' special teams _ all four of them. He will...

Predicted dip in online trading sinks cyberbrokerage shares.
August 4, 1999... Three months ago it seemed that nothing would slow the growth of online stock trading, and shares of cyberbrokerage firms soared. But the first quarter's incredible 47 percent growth rate in online stock trades dropped to a more modest 10...

Hungry for a bowl: MSU feels mature.
August 4, 1999... CHICAGO _ Michigan State coach Nick Saban spent much of the Big Ten media kickoff explaining why the Spartans haven't met expectations the past two years. Less time was spent talking about MSU's prospects this season. Saban, wide...

Robert Edwards determine to recover, reclaim job.
August 4, 1999... SMITHFIELD, Mass. _ Robert Edwards hasn't given up hope. On the contrary, the 24-year-old tailback says he is determined to reclaim his job and career exactly 12 months from now. ``I'm definitely planning on coming all the way back,''...

U.S. to pay Zapruder family $16 million for film of Kennedy assassination.
August 4, 1999... WASHINGTON _ The U.S. government must pay $16 million for the film that captured President John F. Kennedy's assassination, an arbitration panel has ruled, making the 26 seconds of 8 mm film the most expensive historical artifact in American...

Collins' fire breaks out in practice.
August 4, 1999... ALBANY, N.Y. _ For weeks, even months, Kerry Collins had been guarded in his every move, his every word, as he has tried to rebuild his reputation as well as his career. But in the heat of Monday's fight-filled practice, Collins offered...

Facelift might not be enough for Celtics.
August 4, 1999... The Boston Celtics have given themselves a facelift, but don't go making any playoff plans just yet. Boston's new look features a career minor-leaguer, an undrafted rookie and three players from Denver, one of the worst teams in the NBA....

Armstrong a changed man entering Pats' camp.
August 4, 1999... SMITHFIELD, Mass. _ It may be stretching things to describe Bruce Armstrong as svelte, but it would be accurate to report that he checked into the New England Patriots' training camp last weekend looking more like the body-building wrestler,...