Hide Article Text (OCR)
MondayMarch 21, 1983 Ottumwa, Iowa 5250116 pages25 centswm*'Still shovelingJeff Erwine of 1514 Swanson shovels snow in downtown Ottumwa this morning, the first day of spring for 1983. The Federal Aviation Administration's flight service station at Ottumwa airport reported one inch of snow on the ground at 6a.m. today. No additional snow is forecast, although the mercury is expected to dip below seasonal norms and into the teens tonight. (Courier photo by Mike Lemberger)iniruledBy EV DONKERSLOOT Courier ares editor and Hie Associated PressMOUNT PLEASANT - The deaths of three former Fairfield residents killed in an early Saturday morning fire in Mount Pleasant have been listed as homocides, Mount Pleasant police report.Frank W. and Shirley Adler, 30, and their 8-month-old daughter, Anita, died from asphyxiation after inhaling smoke, according to Henry County Medical Examiner Dr. Warren Scott. (Obituaries are on Page 15).The family died after a fire destroyed a two-story apartment house at 206 N. Main. Police and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation officials are listing the fire’s cause as arson.Roger Stephens, assistant chief of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, said there were “no strong suspects” in the case this morning. Other details of the fire were not released.The fire was reported about 2:15 a.m.Saturday to the Mount Pleasant Fire Department. The blaze started in the building's first-floor front hallway, says Fire Chief Dwight Shellabarger.The Adlers were living with friends, Connie and Alan Nichols, in an upstairs apartment in the northwest corner, says Bonnie Steidler, the building’s owner. She said the Adler family “had been there probably a week or two.Steidler said Connie Nichols wasn't home at the time of the fire and that Alan Nichols, 25, escaped the fire by breaking a bathroom window andcrawling through. The others were apparently overcome by smoke and died in the fire.Frank Adler’s mother, Eva Adler of Fairfield, said the deaths were shocking, but so are the “lies” being told about her son and his family.The Adlers were reportedly living in their station wagon until the Nichols took them in.FAIRFIELD(Please turn to Rage 2)Leading the paradeGov. Terry Branstacf greets Ottumwans of all ages during the St. Patrick's Day parade in Ottumwa on Saturday. Theaovernor also declared Ottumwa the video aame ranital ofthe world and lost a game of Pac-Man to Ottumwa Mayor Jerry Parker. More parade photos are on Page 16. (Couriernhntn hv Pirk DnnanlBy RUSS BAUER Courier staff writerThe first day of spring dawned in Ottumwa today with about an inch of snow on the ground. But temperatures moved above the freezing mark this morning, melting away some of it.The snowfall actually began at 6 p.m. Saturday and thawed a little Sunday. Streets and highways became slippery Sunday night when the temperatures dropped into the lower 20s.Today’s weather is in contrast to the early spring sunny skies and high temperatures of two weeks ago.Last year, the first day of spring followed eight days of dreary weather and plenty of rain. There was slightly more than eight inches of snow during March 1983, all of it coming during the first 10 days.The real punch came between April 3 and 8 last year when 14 inches of snow was dumped on Ottumwa.It might be a good idea to keep the snow shovels and snow blowers handy, just in case Old Man Winter still has a parting punch in his bag of tricks4WASHINGTON (AP) - In the broadest sign yet of economic recovery, the government estimated today that the economy grew at a 4 percent annual rate during the first three months of the year, the strongest performance in twoyears.The Commerce Department’s so-called “flash” estimate of inflation-adjusted gross national product showed the largest increase since the first quarter of 1981 and underscored the near-unanimous view of economists that the severe 1981-82 recession ended last December.White House spokesman Larry Speakes called the figure “excellent news and the most conclusive indication the economic recovery has begun and is proceeding at a healthy rate. We think this indicates we are moving rapidly to an excellent recovery from recession.”In another positive development, the flash estimate showed inflation, as measured by the GNP price measure, rising at a mere 2.8 percent rate during the first quarter, the lowest rate in 11 years. The price measure recorded a 4.9 percent inflation rate during last year's final quarter.The flash estimate is a very rough calculation of economic activity that often is revised significantly as more information is gathered.The Commerce Department also reported that economic activity during the last three months of 1982 declined by less than had been estimated previously. The department said inflation-adjusted GNP fell at a 1.1 percent annual rate, rather than dropping 1.9 percent as had been reported earlier.It added that pre-tax corporate profits during the fourth quarter of 1982 declined at an annual rate of 0.8 percent from the third quarter, reversing two straight quarters of gains. After tax-profits showed no change in the fourth quarter, the department said.The estimated GNP growth is thegreatest since a 7.9 percent rate was recorded in the first three months of 1981. But that rapid expansion gave way to the worst downturn since World War H.Jack Lavery of Merrill Lynch Co., who had anticipated the first-quarter gain, said in advance of the report, “I think we’ll have a bumpy and sawtoothed recovery.”The strong first-quarter increase should be followed by “a more muted” gain in the second quarter, a very strong third quarter and then slower progress again near year’s end, he said Recent government reports have shown enough improvement to indicate real GNP would be up in ohe first quarter. But the reason consistent big gains won’t show up all through the year, analysts agreed, was that some parts of the economy were still weak.While Industrial production was picking up and housing was rushing ahead, for example, business spending for modernization and expansion still was declining. And unemployment was still high — 10.2 percent in February.Retail sales have also been sluggish for several months, and gains in Americans’ personal income have been small.The Commerce Department said last Friday that income and personal spending rose only tiny amounts in February, a report that economist Robert Gough of Data Resources Inc. called “a disappointing piece of news that should temper the optimism Still, he and other analysts said the recovery was indeed under way, and they were expecting rising real GNP for the first quarter.t tWeatherGearing and colder tonight, low in the teens. Mostly sunny and cold Tuesday, high in the low 30sMinimum: 22 11 amHumidity: 82 percent26Parade day starts12/1rAHA
Newspaper Details
Ottumwa Courier
Ottumwa, Iowa, US
Mon, Mar 21, 1983
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
David R.
USA 19 Mar 2023
Other Publications Near Ottumwa, Iowa
Ottumwa Daily Review
Ottumwa Courier
Ottumwa Tri Weekly Courier
Baptismal Register Sacred Heart
Standard Atlas of Wapello County Iowa
