1996-07-03; Central Michigan Life

              #
4> -TEARS
Central
Michigan
LIFE
WEDNESDAY,
JULYS,
1996
VOLUME 78, NUMBER 94
MOUNT PLEASANT, MICHIGAN 48859
©1 996 CM LIFE
(517)774-3493
8 PAGES
LIFE Photo/Cindy Trombley
A firefighter from the Mount Pleasant Fire Department extinguishes a storage shed fire at the Riverwood Golf Club and Bowling, 1313
E. Broomfield Road, Sunday.
Fire consumes Riverwood storage building
By Cindy Trombley
LIFE Editor	
A storage shed at the
Riverwood Golf course suffered
approximately $250,000 in damages during a fire Sunday
evening.
The Mount Pleasant Fire
Department responded to a fire
at 6:31 p.m. at Riverwood Golf
Club and Bowling, located at
1313 E. Broomfield Road, said
Sgt.   Steve   Martin   of the   fire
department.
When the department arrived,
the shed was engulfed in flames.
Martin said the fire was confined to the structure, but equipment in the shed suffered damage as well.
He said the department was
on the scene for approximately
three hours checking for fire
extensions, cleaning up, extinguishing hot spots and helping
move equipment out of the shed
in case it collapsed.
"We tried to help as much as
we could," Martin said. "The fire
was brought under control rela^
tively quick."
Sgt. Andy Theisen said
Tuesday the cause of the fire was
still under investigation and
could be released today.
Theisen said although a possible cause is not being released,
"it's not suspicious at all."
Structural    damage    to    the
property     was     estimated     at
approximately $50,000, Theisen
„said.	
Approximately $200,000 in
damage was done to the contents
of the shed, he said. The shed's
contents included lawn mowing
equipment and a golf course
grooming tractor as well as other
equipment.
Lansing sports writer found murdered
last week, suspect has been arrested
By Courtney Sutherby
LIFE Staff Writer	
Acclaimed sports writer and
former CMU student Robert
Gross was found murdered in a
Lansing building last week.
According  to  Mike   Norris  of
the Lansing Police Department,
Gross' body  was   discovered   at
3:56 a.m. June 26. Norris said
the   Lansing   Fire   Department
responded to a smoke alarm at
the   Michigan   Women's   Club,
where   Gross   was   a   caretaker,
and found the building on fire.
An   employee   of the   Ingham
County     Medical      Examiner's
Office   said   the   autopsy   shows
other injuries to the body suggest the fire was not the cause of
of Gross* death.
She said he was believed to
have been strangled by an electrical cord and was stabbed
three times in the back.
Norris would not comment on
the injuries, but said the injuries
to the victim led police to believe
his death was not an accident.
Both Norris and the employee
of the medical examiner's office
said they believe the fire was set
in an attempt to cover up the
homicide.
Police have charged Robert
Neil Durfee, a 28-year-old
Lansing resident, with first
degree homicide in the case.
Norris said Durfee was picked
up when  he was found driving
Gross' missing car.
Durfee was seen with Gross
earlier that evening and the two
are believed to have met at a
local bar. No motive has been
established, Norris said.
Norris said evidence was
obtained against Durfee from a
local hotel, where he said blood
was found on a towel.
Durfee is awaiting his preliminary hearing.
In addition to first degree
homicide, Norris said Durfee is
being charged as a habitual
offender for arson and felon in
possession of a firearm.
Durfee was released from
prison just eight days before the
homicide, Norris said.
Gross, originally from
Weidman, worked as a sports
writer for the Lansing State
Journal for 34 years.
Friends of Gross said they will
remember him fondly for his
optimism and personality.
Jeff Rivers, sports editor for
the Lansing State Journal, said
he was stunned when he heard
Gross was murdered.
He said Gross was a generous
person who went out of his way
to help, and said his murder was
"the last thing you'd ever
expect."
"He was more than just a
sports writer, he was a focal part
See MURDER Page 6
CMU student killed in
automobile accident
Friday morning
By Dave Borough
LIFE Staff Writer	
A talented CMU actress, guitarist and vocalist was killed in
a car accident Friday morning in
Howell.
Danielle Heard, Howell freshman, was pronounced dead at
McPherson Hospital as a result
of her injuries, according to a
Howell Police press release.
The release stated the vehicle
Heard was operating crossed the
center line and collided head-on
with an oncoming vehicle about
9 a.m. Friday.
Heard performed in many
plays and musicals, and studied
under Lloyd Story at the Center
for Creative Studies in Detroit,
where she had a full scholarship.
She recently was chosen by
Powers Modeling Agency in
Southfield to go to Hollywood for
a Screen test.
She also sang solos at the
Orchard United Methodist
Church, 30450 Farmington
Road in Farmington Hills,
where she was a member.
According to Tim Driessnack,
owner of the University Cup,
Heard was a popular guest per
former at the coffee house.
He said she played the guitar
and sang songs at the coffee
shop, located at 1027 S.
Franklin St.
"She was really popular. She
had a great voice and was one of
our best performers,"
Driessnack said. "Everyone
loved her. She played here more
than a dozen times."
According to Timothy
Connors, director for University
Theater and professor of speech
communication and dramatic
arts, Heard appeared in last
fall's play "Eleemosynary" and
also participated in several student-directed projects.
"She had great potential. She
had experience in acting, dancing and performing," Connors
said. "She was a student we
were counting on in the next few
years as a mainstay. It is a tragic loss for her family and it is
going to be difficult for CMU to
replace her talent."
The funeral will be at IO a.m.
today with a service at 11 a.m. at
her church. She will be buried at
Tyrone Memory Gardens in
Fenton.
Faculty Association; CMU
agree to extend contract
By
LIH
E News Editor
The Faculty Association and
CMU officials have agreed to
extend the FA contract to facilitate continued bargaining.
Parties agreed last week to
extend all provisions of the
1993-96 contract as of Monday
while bargaining for faculty contracts continues.
Mary Senter, FA president,
said she is pleased the contract
was extended and said some
progress has been made, but
"there is still a ways to go."
Senter said the bargaining
teams have met 18 times and
continue to work on non-economic issues.
Five of 13 non-economic issues
have been tentatively agreed
upon, said Senter, associate professor of sociology.
Under the extension agreement, CMU continues to pay the
1995-96 school year premiums
for health insurance, but FA
members wiil have to pay the
difference between those premiums and the health insurance
increase, Senter said.
The FA members contribution
is $14.77 monthly per member,
$33.19 to cover a member and a
spouse or child or $36.89 for full
family coverage, she said.
FA represents more than 600
regular CMU faculty members,
she said.
Jon Darrow, director of
Faculty Personnel Services, said
the contract was extended indefinitely until new provisions are
made.
He said he thinks the bargaining process is going "quite well."
According to Rae Goldsmith,
associate vice president for
Public Relations and Marketing,
the decision to extend the contract was made at a June 28
meeting.
The contract was scheduled to
expire June 30, she said.
Also in the agreement is
clause which states either party
must give 28 days prior notice to
terminate the extended contract.
Senter said she can't speculate
when the bargaining will be
complete, but said it would be
"exceedingly unfortunate" if it is
not done before fall semester
begins.
"I know the faculty team is
working very hard and is committed to bringing it to a conclusion," she said.
Fireworks will
be taking place
at dusk
Thursday at the
Isabella County
Fairgrounds
Sign erected outside Bovee University Center
to help promote businesses and services
By Angela Cook
LIFE Staff Writer	
A new sign has been erected
outside Bovee University Center
to advertise retail and student
services available within the
UC.
According to John Fisher,
director of Residences and
Auxiliary Services, the sign was
built to promote the primary
idea of the UC - to house retail
and student services and to provide a conference and meeting
center.
"This is a central meeting center for the campus," he said.
The sign, designed by Heller
Sign Company of Maple City,
cost $11,000, he said.
"Not one nickel" was paid for
by students, he said. Auxiliary
Services paid for the sign.
Retail   businesses   appearing
on the sign will pay an annual
fee of $400 as rent, which also
will go for upkeep of the sign,
Fisher said.
Fisher said this rent will pay
for the sign over time.
The design was chosen after
four months of looking at
approximately six other sign
designs. The location, size and
businesses on the sign also were
a factor, Fisher said.
The final design was chosen
because it advertises services
and retail businesses well and
the panels within the sign can be
changed or replaced.
"We wanted a sign that was
flexible if those areas might be
changed," he said.
Several administrators, faculty members and students were
consulted about the sign design,
he said.
Fisher said the sign will be
lighted.
The lights are expected to be
installed within the next couple
of weeks, he said.
The installation of lighting
was delayed because of digging
required to reach an underground power source. This project will not impede pedestrians
or traffic in any way, Fisher said.
Retail businesses appearing
on the sign include Blimpie Subs
and Salad, University Center
Book Store, The Down Under
Food Court and Mail Boxes Etc.,
he said.
The University Box Office and
the conference rooms do not
appear on the sign.
Some students said they don't
care for the sign.
Lori Recker, Shepherd junior,
said   she   thought   the   location
was "a little weird."
"I don't like  how
See SIGN Page 6
it's
the