The Palm Beach Post from West Palm Beach, Florida • Page 99

SATURDAY, JULY 26, 1997 The Palm Beach Post SECTION COMPLAINT CLOSED Martin's attorney is cleared of wrongdoing after being accused of lying in a court document. STORY, 2B NEWS LOCAL Remains of old Roosevelt Bridge being blown apart Demolition State policy inconsistent on tobacco, Chiles says The governor, who once smoked, also says that existing law doesn't deter the sale of cigarettes to kids. By THOMAS R. COLLINS Palm Beach Post Staff Writer In testimony released Friday in Florida's lawsuit against cigarette makers, Gov. Lawton Chiles said he believes he was addicted to cigarettes before he quit smoking in the early 1950s.

Attorneys in Florida suit prepare for final pre-trial rulings before 300 potential jurors arrive 2B Chiles was questioned Wednesday in Tallahassee by Dal Burton, a lawyer representing R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. The governor said he decided as a freshman at the University of Florida's law school that he wanted to kick the habit. "I lit up every time I walked out of class," Chiles said. When Burton asked whether Chiles stopped the first time he crews blast apart pilings of old bridge By AFRICA RAGLAND Palm Beach Post Staff Writer STUART One of Stuart's oldest landmarks took one more step toward extinction Friday as workers used dynamite to explode several pieces of the old Roosevelt Bridge.

A series of booms, vibrations that could be felt on the new bridge, and flying debris marked the oldest bridge span's final stages of demolition. Workers from bridge contractor Rec-chi America used 960 pounds of dynamite to blow up 16 foundation pilings left from the old bridge. "If you look at the old bridge, it was built soundly," said Recchi America project manager Charles Cross. "The dynamite is actually down into some of the concrete footing to make sure we get it all." The state Department of Transportation scheduled the explosions for 10 a.m. Friday but were delayed until about 11:30 a.m.

by trains and a dolphin sighting. Environmental experts monitored the area from planes and boats to make sure no manatees or other endangered sea creatures were near the blasting site. Placing explosives into 34-foot holes, 4 feet deeper than columns and 10 feet deeper than the river bottom, workers destroyed 16 pilings in three blasts that produced bright flashes and caused the ground to shake. But Cross said the effect on nearby homes and businesses would be "minimal." "We're well under the danger zone," he said. The old bridge opened in 1934 and a newer span was built in the 1960s.

The newer span will remain open, carrying two lanes of traffic to and from downtown Stuart. A new high-rise Roosevelt Bridge is being built to the east of the old bridge, with one span already open and the second one expected to open in Novem- ber. Much of the old span has already been dismantled and dumped into the ocean off Martin County to create artificial reefs. Friday's explosions were successful, but the scout planes were running low on gas so workers will return Wednesday to blow up about 16 remaining pilings. II" IHHU" Chiles tried, the governor said, "Oh, no, I am sure I stopped several times 1 4 prior to that.

And I think I smoked cigars for a while after I stopped smoking cigarettes." "Did you consider yourself addicted to cigarettes?" Burton asked. "Probably at that time. I am not sure that I did. suspect I think I was." Burton also asked Chiles whether he believes adults have the right to smoke. "Yes, I do," Chiles responded.

Burton questioned Chiles about Thomas Waugh, a prisoner in Lake City who filed suit against Florida seeking help in his effort to stop smoking help he thinks he deserves because the state makes cigarettes available in prison. The governor said the state contradicted its claim against tobacco companies when it contended that Waugh could quit smoking whenever he wanted and was not entitled to medical help. "I was aware that an assistant attorney general had raised allegations that I felt were inconsistent with what our position is," Chiles said. Chiles also said that existing law doesn't deter cigarette merchants from selling to minors. When asked about the chances of a merchant getting punished for selling cigarettes to minors, Chiles said, "I would think the risk is very minimal." Chiles admitted that he didn't try to sever a personal tie to the tobacco industry.

He said that he didn't take any steps to ensure that there were no cigarette vending machines in the Red Lobster restaurants he invested in. BOB SHANLEYStaff Photographer Boaters watch crews from Rechi America, blow up pilings that supported the old Roosevelt Bridge in Stuart. Demolition of the remaining structures will continue next week. i New radio station gives air time a new meaning something in late June because it applied for an operating license from the Federal Communications Commission on June 16, and new stations must go on the air after applying for a license, said James Crutchfield, an FCC spokesman. And on July 3, the station notified the FCC that it will be sold to American Radio Systems of Boston, Crutchfield said.

The station, which does not have Please see AIR TIME35 By MARC FREEMAN Palm Beach Post Staff Writer If you need the time, or just like hearing it over and over and over, check out 105.5 on your FM radio dial. Or maybe you've already tuned in by chance. Broadcasting from a tower on Bridge Road in Hobe Sound, new radio station WTPX has but one program: The time. No weather. No sports scores.

No beach report. Just the time. For about a month, the station has aired a recording of a voice reading the time nearly 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It breaks for 30 seconds once an hour for a public service announcement and station identification. "It's the Big Ben of Palm Beach," said Tricia Dahlin, vice president of Intermart Broadcasting of Punta Gorda, one of the station's corporate owners.

"If you want to set your clock, tune in to my radio station." WTPX gets its time from a satellite tuned to a signal from the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington. WTPX engineer Max Sitero said a computer pulls the time recording off the. satellite and then puts it on the air within a few seconds of the official time. But the time won't last forever here.

WTPX, whose signal covers much of Palm Beach and Martin counties, is running the time only until it picks a permanent format, Dahlin said. WTPX had to begin broadcasting fc mi Iff 17- flTSri' I St. Lucie settles tiff with company over port contract By JIM REEOER Palm Beach Post Staff Writer FORT PIERCE A disagreement that threatened St. Lucie County's plans to buy more land at the Port of Fort Pierce apparently was settled Friday in the county's favor. "Trammell Crow will sign the agreement as approved by the Port Airport Authority," County Administrator Doug Anderson said.

"We didn't give up anything." County commissioners agreed Tuesday to pay Trammell Crow Real Estate Services $50,000 to negotiate the purchase of 67 acres from the MacArthur Foundation and to lure tenants whose rent money will help finance the purchase. But commissioners removed a clause which would have given Trammell Crow exclusive rights to develop the port area. Commissioner John Bruhn said Trammell Crow had threatened to withdraw from the deal because of that change, but other officials denied they had made such a threat. "I'm happy to hear Trammell Crow has agreed to sign the contract and we can work together," Bruhn said. Anderson, acting Port Director Jack Karibo and County Attorney Dan Mclntyre talked with Trammell Crow officials on the telephone for about an hour Friday.

Trammell Crow hopes to become master developer of the port area once the county acquires more land. An outline of the proposed master developer agreement will be presented to commissioners at the Aug. 12 Port Airport Authority meeting, Anderson said. "We want to be sure commissioners agree with the outline, then we'll negotiate a final agreement," Anderson said. The county faces a Sept.

30 deadline to acquire the property or risk losing $8 million in state money. County officials are talking with Tropicana Inc. which could rent property from the county for a cargo facility. Their rent payments could be used to help finance the land purchase. Tummies to be tickled again soon By RACHEL HARMAN Palm Beach Post Staff Writer FORT PIERCE Its effects are likened to a carnival ride, and it soon will once again be a part of downtown Fort Pierce.

Tickle Tummy Hill bridge, so named because if crossed too quickly a motorist's stomach drops on the ascent and rises on the descent, is under construction after being closed in 1988. City engineer Hector Arias said the 46-foot-long bridge, between Avenue A and Avenue closed amid claims it was too dangerous. Built in 1925, it was beginning to decay. Tickle Tummy Hill is officially known as the North Second Street bridge, but over the years, the nickname stuck, said Doris Tillman, director of Main Street Inc. Her agency is part of a national program aimed at revitalizing downtown areas to preserve their historic values.

The bridge, poured in a solid form rather than in pieces, arches l)J ri J. Jf tfrf'ir'niiMlillliiriil JASON NUTTLEStaff Photographer Tickle Tummy Hill, so named because if crossed too quickly a motorist's stomach drops on the ascent and rises on the descent, is under construction after being closed in 1988. The restoration project should be complete in five months. DAVID LANtStatf Photographer partment of Transportation project engineer. Part of the cost will be absorbed by the Fort Pierce Utilities Authority because utility lines had to be moved.

Tillman said it has been her goal to see the bridge rebuilt. "People remember as kids going over the bridge and getting butterflies in (their) stomach." across a narrow creek. One of the reasons the city agreed to the project was because of the bridge's history. Once the bridge is completed in about five months, Arias said it "will be totally restored to its original condition." The work will cost about $341,000, said Tom Greene, a De Egged on by a desire to win Holly Dickmeyer, 1 1 catches a raw egg to win the egg toss competition during the last day of Camp WET Friday on Hutchinson Island. The camp taught the importance of water to Florida's environment..