1 A 4 Sports: NFL Draft 3 Ancient inspirations Lions: Detroit shores up defense by taking Tennessee Tempo: Native American Prescription Drugs: cornerback Terry Fair in the first round, B1 spirituality weekend provides Viewpoint: Poor monitoring Woodson: UM Heisman Trophy winner picked fourth 98 gathering place for connecting puts lives at risk, G1 overall in the first round by the Oakland Raiders, B2 with ancestors, F1 April 19, 1998 $1.50 Sunday a The OURNAL Serving Genesee County and surrounding communities since 1876 Police think body is missing Lapeer man By Sharon Terlep JOURNAL STAFF WRITER East Lansing While investigating the latest tip about missing Lapeer resident Ryan' Getz, an East Lansing detective found a body Saturday in the Red Cedar" River that police believe is Getz. The body was found in a mass of fallen trees about 150 feet from where Getz, a former Michigan State University student, was last seen New Year's Eve at Cedar Village Apartments, said East Lansing police Capt. Stephen Chubb. Chubb said the body had been in the water a long time and the clothing was similar to what Getz wore the night he disappeared. Chubb said investigators could not not determine a cause of death or whether foul play might have been involved.
"We obviously have en lot of investigat-, ing to do," Chubb said. Police will not make a positive identification until after an autopsy, scheduled for Monday. Battling to preserve farmland By David Poulson JOURNAL LANSING BUREAU and David V. Graham JOURNAL STAFF WRITER Kent City Wilson Kruithoff stood on a rise and pointed across his 260-acre farm to a nearby field that he rents. "Over there they are selling lots for $40,000 an acre," said Kruithoff, a Kent County hog "That's a farm I farm, but this is going to be the last year." To the south, he pointed to a Kent City school that residents recently voted to expand for a growing population.
And he shook his head at the thought of the 300 new homes soon to replace the apple orchard across from his 128-yearold farmhouse. But in the face of this encroaching development, Kruithoff is a pioneer. Along with the owners of 33 other farms scattered across Michigan, he has agreed to sell the state his right to subdivide his farm for homes and businesses. For the first time, the state is, in essence, offering to pay farmers to not develop their land. More than 730 other farmers could not get a similar deal because there was not enough money.
One of the rejected families farms more than 2,500 acres near Imlay City in Lapeer County. Carol Lauwers, her husband, Richard, and their two sons work several farms between Imlay City and Brown City. They own about Please see FARMLAND, A17 East Lansing 2 Site where St. Bogue Cedar 5 Woodmere body found was East Grand Hagadom River Ave: Getz Getz's parents, Mike and Pat Getz, declined to comment about the discovery Saturday, speaking through a family friend. Three and a half months after Getz, 21, was reported missing, yellowed posters seeking information on his whereabouts remain plastered on cars, stores and houses across the state.
On I-96 outside of East Area of 4. detail Sanford Natural Area Michigan State Univ: JOURNAL MAP Lansing, 'a billboard asks for information on him. "(The detective) saw what was obviously a very difficult thing to discover," said Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings. What started off as a routine missing person investigation 109 days ago turned into a massive communitywide search after Getz JOURNAL PHOTOS MATT STONE Stirring a smoky vat of dry ice and water, Joshua Cordell, 5, creates a comet during all-day kindergarten at Warwick Pointe Academy in Grand Blanc money: Flint film maker extends helping hand and begins its regular theatrical run Friday. He said he has donated close to $500,000 to more than 100 people and organizations since his first film, "Roger Me," was released in 1989.
Recipients of grants from Moore's foundation, the Center for Alternative Media, the Greater Flint Arts Council, St. Agnes Food Pantry and Flint's sister cities program. Half of Moore's check to New Jerusalem went to Career Alliance Resources Environment, a private, nonprofit substance-abuse program. It was founded by the church but recently closed its doors. Please see MOORE, A17 AP PHOTO Michael Moore poses at the McDonald's restaurant on Chicago's Navy Pier.
NEWS FRONT Guard under siege Peace process proceeds Michigan's Army National Guard Northern Ireland's main Protestant faces a new enemy: funding cuts party has approved the peace that have left its soldiers ill- agreement, and its leader called on equipped and under-trained. the IRA to disavow violence. Michigan, A3 World, A6 had been missing for several weeks. Police and more than: 100 volunteers had searched the river by helicopter, on foot and by boat and with trained dogs and divers. Through Saturday, at least two offi-.
cers continued to work on the case. The tip that led the detective back to the river Saturday was called in early last week, Chubb said. The caller said Getz was seen on New Year's Eve walking near the spot where the body eventually was found. Although that area had been searched before by foot and boat, divers had not searched it. "We didn't think (the body) would be down this far," Chubb said.
About the same time that police found the body, Getz's parents were at a restaurant across town holding a fund-raiser for their search efforts. The Getzes left the restaurant after being told of the detective's discovery. Getz's parents had coordinated the search for their son from the Evergreen 1 in East Lansing. More than 100 people, mostly MSU stu; dents who had followed the Getz case; watched Saturday as state police divers recovered the body. "It's weird, every time I walked down here, I thought about him and what if he's down there," said Chris Haddad, an MSU sophomore who lives near where the body was found.
"It could have been any one of us." Getz was seen about 10:30 p.m. New Year's Eve outside his girlfriend's apartment; she was not home. According to reports, he later wandered uninvited into a party, where a fight ensued, and he was punched and kicked. A party -goer told authorities that Getz left the party. Getz's car was parked a few blocks away, but he apparently never reached it.
He was scheduled to start classes Jan. 5 at Kettering University in Flint. Getz, who was living in Swartz Creek, took part in an engineering internship program last semester. All-day Kindergarten hit with parents, a headache for administrators By Dave Murray and Matt Bach JOURNAL STAFF WRITERS district. This year's class is an all-day program, one of the changes set in place when the for -profit Edison Project took over.
Bradley is thrilled by the change, but critits argue that all-day programs force academics on tots before they're ready and, at worst, turn 1 teachers into glorified baby-sitters at taxpayer expense. Kindergarten which wasn't offered in more than half the states 35 years ago and still in Michigan is the latest educational battleground. "All-day kindergarten is an emerging is- Sandra Bradley can't contain her excitement when talking about the kindergarten class she teaches at Flint's Garfield Elementary School. "My students are reading," she said proudly. "Last year, we barely got through the alphabet.
That about says it all." The difference? Last year's class was a traditional, halfday kindergarten program offered districtwide by all but one Genesee County school "You have to strike a balance free play, quiet time and opportunities Barbara Willer, public affairs director Education of Teacher Kathy Smith reviews the computer skills of Johnathon Meyers, 5, and Chelsey Garner, 6.. sue in K-12 education," said Rachael E. Moreno, an associate superintendent in the Genesee Intermediate School District. "(Vithin the next five or 10 years, all our local districts will be making decisions on allday kindergarten Experts say parents love the all-day proPlease see KINDER, A17 between a structured curriculum and for social for the National Association for the Young Children Herbs an industry, a trend, a medical mystery Once the sole domain of health-food that surprises even longtime practipurists and the sandal-and-candle tioners and proponents. But critics say crowd, herbs and other natural reme- not all herbs have been proven effecdies have hit the main- tive or safe.
stream. HERBS The Flint Journal today Bottles and packages begins a two-day series on with names such as gingko APPEAL herbs. In today's At Home biloba, echinacea and St. section (D1) two local herb Johnswort now vie for growers talk about their space on shelves at super- art. Related stories address markets, discount stores, favorite herbs for the backgas stations and conve- yard garden.
In Business nience stores. The prod- (C1), retailers discuss the ucts also are readily avail- herbal boom and its effect able by mail order, over the Internet on business. and by "multi-level marketers," such In Monday's Tempo section, herb as Amway. users and medical experts discuss the The herbal industry, worth an esti- purported benefits and risks associatmated $3 billion, is growing at a rate ed with natural supplements. TODAY'S OUTLOOK Today: Considerable Tonight: Lingering cloudiness, a shower; cloudiness; low 39.
high 52. Detalls, C8 WEATHER By Jeff Karoub JOURNAL BUSINESS WRITER Film maker Michael Moore has been called a lot of things by foes and fans alike. Philanthropist usually isn't one of them. But when a 1991 fire damaged New Jerusalem Full Gospel Baptist Church in Genesee Township, Moore was there the next day with a $10,000 check in hand. "It was an on-time donation," Bishop Otis Floyd said of Moore's check.
"We needed it." That gift was just one example of the Flint native's philanthropy. Moore, whose new film, "The Big One," has its area premiere today at Showcase Cinemas East in Burton COMING MONDAY or 2000-something It's not a monumental problem, but some tombstones have a year 2000 glitch of their own. INDEX Michigan At Home Real Estate Business Classified Sports Television. 00150 Crossword Tempo Local News E1 Viewpoint G1 Deaths Landers Travel Theater 15503 How to reach The A2 00150 15503.
