Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 17, 1994 TAG: 9402170191
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
RICHMOND - Virginia has suspended collection of outstanding taxes for 1985-88 from federal pensioners.
During his campaign, Gov. George Allen pledged to work for settlement of a $500 million dispute with federal retirees, who are seeking refunds of state income taxes declared illegal by the U.S. Supreme Court.
The suspension came after a pensioner's lawyer questioned the consistency of Allen's campaign promise and his administration's efforts to collect back taxes from pensioners.
Following inquiries, state officials began suspending the collection of outstanding taxes from federal pensioners for the period at issue in the litigation.
Collection will be suspended until negotiations to settle the litigation are finished, Allen press secretary Ken Stroupe said.
- Associated Press
Tests prove Bobbitt fathered boy in N.Y.
WASHINGTON - Blood tests prove John Bobbitt is the father of a boy born to a Niagara Falls, N.Y., woman 14 months ago, The Washington Times said today, citing a source familiar with a paternity suit against Bobbitt.
Bobbitt took a blood test in January in an attempt to disprove the claim of Beatrice Williams, 21, that he fathered her child. She sought child support for her 1-year-old son, Andrew.
"A source close to her paternity suit said the DNA tests conducted at a private firm indicate a 99.99 percent chance that Mr. Bobbitt is the father of Miss Williams' son," the Times said.
"Such results, one DNA testing expert said, are nearly infallible. But sources said Mr. Bobbitt's attorney might challenge the results on the grounds that they were technically inaccurate," it added. z - Associated Press
Cemetery employee charged in burning
HAMPTON - A cemetery employee has been charged with helping burglarize and burn a dead body lying in a casket housed in a mausoleum, police said.
James T. Blake, 26, was arrested Tuesday and charged with two counts of breaking and entering, grand larceny, arson and displacing a human corpse.
Blake had worked as a groundskeeper at Hampton Veterans Memorial Cemetery for the past year, said the cemetery's managing director, Jimmy Stuart. After learning of Blake's arrest, Stuart said the groundskeeper was fired.
Police said John M. Marks' body was robbed of $7,500 worth of jewelry, including six gold rings, a diamond-studded gold watch and gold lapel pin.
The items were recovered from two other suspects, a 16-year-old Hampton boy and Matthew Jacob Wright, 18. - Associated Press
Suspect in slaying turns himself in
NORFOLK - A teen-ager being sought in the Feb. 1 slaying of a nephew of state Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Norfolk, turned himself in Wednesday.
Marcus Moore, 18, was taken into custody about 3:30 p.m., said police spokesman Larry Hill.
Moore had been sought on a murder warrant in the death of Kevin A. Smith, 25, who was shot when he stepped outside the home of friends after watching a basketball game. - Associated Press
Error in test directions will not hurt students
RICHMOND - Students taking Virginia's Literacy Passport Test won't be penalized for following incorrect directions, the state Department of Education said.
The department said Tuesday it is to blame for a typographical error that gives students incorrect directions for five of 60 multiple-choice questions in the math section of the test.
The department said students who have left parts of their score sheets blank because of the misprint will be allowed to retake the test. Parents also can appeal their children's scores by contacting the school's principal and asking for an appeal form provided by the state.
- Associated Press
by CNB