Amherst News-Times, 2005-06-29

              june 29, 2005 report highlights traffic woes - page 3 ziggy's owner charged pacf p 13 03 x r c m h s- w cn s q i d o rn ij rt 2m ro mo coroner says 'outside force' killed inf baby's star-shaped skull fracture clash with dovala defense's 'natural death' theory calling the and hemorrhaging that fivc-month-old riley smath "grossly abnormal," county paul matus testified last thursday an "out side force" was involved in feb. 6, 2004 death. prosecutors said three blows to smnth's head caused a collapsed inward on brain induced internal bleeding. but defense attorney james burgc believes died of natural causes, maintains innocence 33-ycar-old amherst baby sitter melissa dovala, who infant's care day he died. at 7:50 morning, riley's mother, eileen callahan-smath, dropped her son off dovala's house. when she called around 4:45 p.m. say running late, injured, according special prosecu tor mark mahoney. took hospital, where admitted 5:11 pronounced dead exactly one hour later. there is also possibility death could have been by shaken syndrome, autopsy results showed no evidencd past injury. during cross-examination, told did not conduct tests for anemic conditions would prevented blood clotting rare "highly unlikely" condition, said. claims has idea what mul tiple injuries, declined offer any theories. instead, characterized his client as innocent bystander chose lie police about day's events. witness amy kitzmillcr, teacher works pirclands school district, continued 10 decades later, lost cop gun used deadly carolina triple shooting jason hawk news-times reporter almost 29 years ago, norman stover made rook ie mistake, paid it ever since. while attending law enforce ment class lorain community college october 1976, left off-duty .38 caliber smith & wesson pistol campus bath room. returned five minutes later look sidearm, gone. now nearly 592 miles away resurfaced key weapon north homicide investigation. saturday, may 28, 64-ycar-old jack martin chimney rock rutherford county, carolina, allegedly shot male neighbors after argument escalated out con trol. responding 91 1 'call short ly before 2 a.m., local officers found jonathan moore, 32, ashcvillc, n.c., wound. phillip chiasson philip salks, both 31, were injured fray. "it's officer's worst nightmare something like this happen," thursday, obviously peeved having rehashed. embarrassing." full-time patrolman from 1972 1977 (and latciva- part-time officer vcrrnilibnj," stover's mistake weighed conscience young crime fighter, pago former offi cer stover. estimates show 82 guns are reported or stolen every day. more than 200,000 remain legally registered deceased persons. some sources 40 per cent crimes. fbi two million reports. many 341,000 firearm thefts occur u.s. annually. they lower driving age? student department's safety city program races around, road course designed teach kids good pedestrian habits. small retailers park avenue sewer replacement effort driv ing down sales much 50 percent. repaving project digs into downtown dust flying, gears grinding, backhoes digging, business own ers seriously hurting. middle stages month-long, $934,592 street rebuilding project, miss their bread-and-butter clientele faithful door-to-door window shoppers quickly giving up due poor parking, dirt debris strewn sidewalks, ever-present rumbjing big machinery. "we'll tighten our belt little bit go there," zilch florist's ralph zilch, father's week end "dismal." holiday stint normally expect 25 30 walk-in customers day, had only three. luckily, fire chief he's still doing major ity over phone, hopes will hold up. meanwhile, perk coffee shop struggling with, its water sup ply shut las contractors replaced utility lines. mess don't know if it's necessary," employee sharon phillips. "everybody hurting." lucy obran making lot deliveries ma.ny cus tomers learned use cleveland entrance, third. "you just keep positive attitude," . district become harsh environment recent years, 6 sigler gets cacti, must shrink collection mobile home resident scaled back attraction. prfeked few times process, troy likely et most exotic cactus farm. conflict 41-year-old's sprawling display desert dwelling plants possible eviction wcstwoods neared worked tentative compromise landlord marilyn clpolla. "i'd think ironed out," attorneys parties brokered deal 21. "it pleasant con- " feel won," started threat get rid everything, tioty canjeeep everything." versation us lawyers. cordial." collector since removed all towering cereus peruvianis specimens property. shuffled 3$ thorny roadway, storage shed-sized greenhouses, garden beds back. "i news-times. can negotiations came close wire, issue resolved days prior ened 26 eviction. hie media attention really whut helped most," story lines weeks steady stream tourists visited sigler's resi dence catch glimpse cacti.. far away' 'youngstown, toledo, akron rate half dozen ends, other well-wishers flooded siglcrs e-mails visiting web site. man received messages british columbia nova. scotia canada, germany, arid slovenia, aa well california rrifirilu nnrf rvervwhens between. pga