Arlington Morning News (Newspaper) - September 8, 1998, Arlington, Texas L AGAINST TWINS s Arlington Texas Tuesday September 1998 Arlington Morning Parents vow to curb teen drinking Arlington Morning Hem J Mark Bennett is spearheading Safe Homes a new approach to teenage drinking The program asks parents to sign a pledge to chaperone parties and not supply alcohol to teens By Kim Homer Staff Writer of the Arlington Morning News Like a lot of parents Barbara Bennett doesnt want her teenage daughter going to parties where alcohol will be served Shed feel better if she knew that the hosts parents would make sure the teens do not drink that in mind she started a program that may help her find out The program Safe Homes asks parents to sign a pledge to chaper one parties and not to supply alco hol to teens That way parents can check the list when their teens are invited to parties Were basically asking them par Safe Homes hits Arlington High ents to follow the Ms Bennett said Serving alcohol to minors is a Class B misdemeanor that carries a maximum fine or six months in jail But the law is difficult to enforce police spokesman Dee Anderson said Its very hard for us to prove they parents are supplying Officer Anderson said Its surprising to officers that it goes on in these days of alcohol Ms Bennett first pitched the idea two years ago at a school district forum on teen drinking The districts drinking sy began in fall 1996 when an Arlington High School student reported being sexually assaulted at a drinking party after a football game The district responded with a policy that banned students caught in possession of alcohol from extracurricular activi ties then followed up later by allow ing offenders to go through counseling Arlington High which Ms Bennetts daughter Allison attends will be the first local campus to try the Safe Homes program The pro gram originated in New Jersey and is used at schools throughout the nation Other local high schools also have expressed interest in Safe Homes Ms Bennett said Letters about Safe Homes went home with Arlington High students at orientation last month About 100 parents had signed the pledge by the Sept 4 deadline assistant princi pal Sharon Cobb said The campus has about students It looks like weve had a pretty good Ms Cobb said Unlike her mother Allison a 17 yearold senior isnt optimistic about the Safe Homes program I dont think its going to get much accomplished because theres so many parents I know who let their kids have Allison said Please see Pact on Page Democrats campaign at Labor Day lunch By Steve Quinn Staff Writer of the Arlington Morning News Monday belonged to this laborers but local workers were willing to share the annual moment with politicians of their choice dur ing an indoor barbecue for area laborers from the area gathered at the Local 218 union hall home to Bell Helicopter work jers and welcomed Democratic can whom they believe fogto preserve the workers inter ests Many General Motors workers attended the festivities ELECTIONS 98 Bush Mauro woo voters IDA The packed house of laborers from area unions aligned themselves with Democrats such as congres incumbent Martin Frost of District 24 who is facing Republican Shawn Terry and District 6 chal lenger Ben Boothe who is facing Republican Joe Barton Both dis represent large portions of Arlington Day traditionally is a day that kicks off intense election cam The Democrats several of whom are underdogs have been making a hard push during the last Mr Frost who is chairman of the Democratic Congressional Cam Committee was the keynote speaker He touted his partys mis sion while pledging support for other candidates such as Mr Boothe gubernatorial challenger Garry Mauro and lieutenant governor can John Sharp Mr Frost said Republicans have a poor fiscal history of handling social security benefits funds for public education and endorsing managed health care He then encouraged laborers to have strong representa tion at the voting polls in November We need this Mr Frost said before moving on to his third of three appearances Monday Laor played a critical role in 1996 Please see Democrats on Page AT BAT FOR JERRYS KIDS Arlington Morning News John Kennedy Matt Swinton of Southlake connects for a base hit during the Fourth Annual Muscular Dystrophy Association Softball Tournament held at the Dr Pepper Youth Ballpark next to The Ballpark in Arlington The event gave the children an opportunity to play a sport they otherwise could not Young and old volunteer on holiday By Julie Elliott Staff Writer of the Arlington Morning News The volunteers for the Muscular Dystrophy Association dont fear watching the phone because they know it will always ring And Euless resident Ralph Zeitz knows how important it is for the phones to con ringing so the MDA can help indi and their families living with any one of 40 different neuromuscular dis eases The MDA has given me an all new out look on life because people are diligently working to find a cure and it is he said Mr Zeitz 78 was diagnosed two years ago with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis a fatal neuromuscular disease that attacks specialized nerves that control the mus cles and results in muscle weakness and deterioration ALS is commonly known as Lou disease taking its informal name from Mr Gehrig the legendary first base man for the New York Yankees who was diagnosed with ALS in June 1939 and forced to retire less than a month later Mr Gehrig died hi 1941 Mr Zeitz who had a Yankees contract at the same time as Mr Gehrig and prac with the baseball legend said he is thankful for what has been done to edu cate the public about the disease since Mr death There are now resources with the MDA to help with all the changes in he said I used to be able to mow the whole yard and it was a cakewalk Then it got to be that I would be The local segment of the 1998 Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association Labor Day Telethon which aired on Channel was held at Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie The MDA also sponsored the Fourth Annual Muscular Dystrophy Association Softball Tournament held at the Dr Pepper Youth Ballpark next to The Ballpark in Arlington The telethon which is now carried on Please see MDA on Page Policing in GP to change Study recommends new hires programs By Julie Elliott Staff Writer of the Arlington Morning News GRAND PRAIRIE In the next few months Grand Prairie residents may notice a significant change in the way police officers provide law enforcement services to the community As the result of a management study of the police department city officials have agreed to spend to hire more officers implement additional community policing programs and restructure the organization of the department in order to allow police cers more time to fight and prevent crime We wanted to know if this department had cancer or some other incurable dis City Manager Gary Gwyn said The answer is no We have got police cers who are dedicated working hard and putting out good work But you bet we can do The study was ini tiated about the same time Chief Glen Hill replaced former Chief Harry Crum who abrupt ly retired last August amid allegations of mis conduct and civil rights violations against the department In recent years the department also faced a few lawsuits including a federal civil rights suit filed by the family of Joe Lee Calloway a old mentally ill man who was fatally shot by a Grand Prairie officer in 1996 Grand Prairie resident Lee Alcorn said he hopes the study sends the department in the right direction Although I have not seen the study I think that they need to have some sensitivity training and learn how to handle the said Mr Alcorn president of the Dallas chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and founder of the Grand Prairie NAACP chapter There has been a history of African Americans being handled badly by the Grand Prairie police and we definitely need to have more and Hispanics on the police force There also needs to be African Please see Call on Page Hill INSIDE traffic Business 1C o 2A Movies Obituaries Opinions 2A in 2A Defense lawyer steps down from money laundering case By Eric Garcia Staff Writer of fa Arlington Morning News FORT WORTH A noted defense lawyer hired by an Arlington man charged with swindling a woman out of her It million inheritance has with drawn from the case because be report edly hasnt been paid Tarrant County court records snow that lawyer Doug Mulder is no longer representing nia former client Larry Austin Thomas Sr Mr Mulder did not return phone calls last week Mr with theft and money laundering for the alleged scam retained the lamed Dallas lawyer after his arrest nearly two years ago Mr Thomas remains jailed and be reached for comment Court records indicate that Mr Thomas hasnt been appointed a new attorney It was unclear last week when a state district judge would appoint Mr Thomas legal counsel Assistant District Attorney Charles Brandenburg said Mr Thomas case will be stalled until a new attorney is named for the suspect going to delay he said 1 dont know when it will be Mr Thomas 54 is charged with theft over and money laundering over Darlene Thomas the defendants wife similar criminal charges and will likely be tried separate ly prosecutors said Police contend that the couple conned an Arlington woman out of inherited stocks and securities worth up to lion The victim then in htr late 30s Victorious Vikings Lamar junior Brandon center raises hia hand in pride aa he boards the town bus Worth International Airport Monday The at Orlando
