The Palm Beach Post from West Palm Beach, Florida • Page 743

SUNDAY, JUNE 20, 1999 THE PALM BEACH POST 2A Early Sunday Spotlight After volcano, Montserrat goes with the flow Islanders see volatile mount as site where tourists can have a blast Newsmakers Celebrities delighted with their new 'legendary' status By Army Archerd Daily Variety Katharine Hepburn, 92, was busy doing yoga exercises Thursday when notified she was No. 1 on the AFI poll of top 25 femme legends. Hepburn continues to live in the same house in Connecticut where she grew up. cmaw Tamnio who also made the list, said Rv CWLov Fmiine Palm Beach Post Staff Writer CORK HILL, Montserrat Nearly four years after it awakened, Mont-serrat's volcano is still an unpredictable one. It spews ash and clouds of hot gases in violent burps and coughs, even as if supposed to be going back to sleep.

In the volcano's shadow is a once-verdant landscape turned gray and build a bright future, but admits it won't be easy. For example, a top priority is drawing back Montserratians like the 3,500 evacuated to Britain many of whom had been the island's richest and youngest residents. But about 900 people still on the island need homes. "This island has not only suffered from physical devastation, but from social devastation as well," Abbott said. "Each village used to look after their own, but now many of these villages are damaged or destroyed, so there's a need to establish places for people like the elderly and the mentally challenged who have nowhere to orn hp nHHpft.

-'she would have liked to see Jennifer Jones and Clara Bow on the list of top 25. Temple, who placed 18, also laughingly said, was No. 13 on the San Francisco Chronicle Writ Douglas, No. 17, admitted: "I have been blessed to work with thousands of fabulous ac- 4- dreary under a tnicK DianKci ui mic, gritty ash. Against this backdrop, the tena-nf this tinv British tern- "sr V-- Tors people imc mi uihi Kennedy.

Edmond O'Brien and tory are rebuilding their lives with an optimism that belies the seriousness of living with a natural disaster year Paul Stewart come to immedi- 'He said the British government raoAv Viae finnnrpH tbp construction I 'atfe mind. However, I would not want to be a part of the Vimmittpp to select the too after year. ore Irtnlnnc uo. said Valerie Romeo of Romeo Wayside aUVUUJ HUM Awv of 250 homes in the "safe and clans to implement a low-interest Ml il HfclttJn 50 actors. I'm just delighted (hat I made the list" C.rmanrv Park Nn 12.

ad 1 I mi in iiiimi.1- RICK McKAYCox News Service ma Hardware. She said business has been booming even though she's been forced to relocate her store twice in recent years, each time farther away from the erupting volcano. mitted the scene aired of -Hepburn and Henry Fonda in On Golden Pond showed the MlKe lOUSSaint, Veiling munibCIlell iiuim uic ncaiuy loiaim i.nwp photographs the still-smoldering Soufriere Hills volcano, which erupted four years ago. Many see it as a tourist attraction that could boost the economy. Douglas "power of movies where tney can wucn voui ucaiu uimum v.iv"v.

tor decaaes, uus pcdi-auayw idonH nart of the Lee- ward chain was dubbed the Emer are shared by all of us. But, he said, 'To me, the greatest were Greta Carbo. But I don't have any ald Isle. The reference was, in pan, a nod to the tropical lushness that for years attracted upscale tourists. But all that cnangeu in juiy iz Mnntoprrafs 1nnc-smoldenng fault with Bogart and Hepburn being No.

l. Peck receives another honor, the Marian Anderson Award in Philadelphia, June 25-27. Brock Peters (To Kill a Mockingbird) and Angie will fly in to honor him as will Harry vBelafonte. last vear's recipient. volcano, Soufriere Hills, blew its stack after nearly four centuries of dormancy.

It eventually killed 19 people, obliterated the economy and wiped out Plymouth, the capital, and other Wagner family runs the show i Natasha Gregson Wagner daughter) "will star for director Josh Evans (Bob's son) in Hearts, which will be shot in digital-video, reports young Wagner. Michael Madsen co-stars. Natasha says the filming "should be very interesting" she and young Evans had a seven-year relationship. "We were very close," she says, "and we a lot of respect for each other. And it's villages.

Since then, there have been periods of repose between eruptions, prompting many people to return to check on property near the volcano. A proposition that can have dire conse quences as a group oi more uim a dozen islanders found out in 1997. They returned to the so-called 1 Ml ...1 mortgage program. Even before the volcano erupted, however, tourism was the backbone of this island's economy. Businesses such as lime, sugar, and cotton never lasted long.

Today, with Eymouth evacuated, and many areas off-limits, it's hard to entice tourists to come. Because of the active volcano, the U.S. State Department still recommends that U.S. citizens avoid Montserrat. Popular talk-show hostess Oprah Winfrey even mentioned the warning on her May 18 program, further exasperating Montserratians.

Montserrat always has been something of a Caribbean anomaly, escaping mass-market tourism thanks to its lack of beaches, casinos, resorts. Even in its heyday, Montserrat never boasted more than 150 hotel rooms. Still, tourism boosters point out that before the volcano, Montserrat attracted 30,000 visitors a year. Last year, it had declined to about 7,000. Cassell, the tourism director, hopes to change all that.

She sees the volcano as the island's ticket out of its economic doldrums. "Nearly 4 million people visit Hawaii each year just to see the volcano, so our volcano can be an attraction as well," she said. But there are currently no hotel accommodations here, although tourists can pay to stay in people's homes. A new 18-room hotel, called Tropical Mansions, is set to open in November, while the Vue Pointe, the island's biggest hotel with 44 rooms, is scheduled to reopen in December. In April, the 110-passenger Caledonian Star became the first cruise ship to visit the island since the volcano erupted.

Passengers were able to get an urclose look at the volcano, as well as the devastation it left Pam Arthurton, who owns Carib-World Travel in Antigua, with another office in Baltimore, said she too has started marketing the volcano. "We're trying to develop adventure tours that include visits to the volcano because it's my belief that one person's disaster can be another person's attraction," she said. "danger zone and were Kiiiea wiien the volcano erupted without warning, oonlinr "nvrnrlastir flows" Waves of 90Odegree ash, gas and rocks This is the second reconstruction of the island in less than a decade: The reconstruction after Hurricane Hugo was nearly complete when the volcano erupted. In the capital Plymouth, which had been this island's nerve center and most-important city, the atmosphere is one of a ghost town, where up to 10 feet of ash and rock have buried what was to be the island's new library, hospital, and government buildings. Ash also has buried Air Studios, where an array of stars including Jimmy Buffett, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, and the Rolling Stones recorded music throughout the 1980s away from the media spotlight Montserratian officials operating from trailers say they hope to build new government offices in little Bay, a patch of mountainside located in the island's northern end.

A laundry list of other hoped-for projects includes a new airport and sporting complex. But a lack of money has been a stumbUng block. British financial aid has totaled more than $100 million since 1995, but much of the assistance has been spent on "emergency needs," such as flying in tents and various equipment and setting up the Montserrat Volcano Observatory. In the meantime, it may be months before residents are allowed to move back the southern part of the island, mostly because of the health risk posed by the dust. Since 1997, anyone caught in this region has faced fines or arrest.

As a deterrent the area is dotted with menacing signs that read: "The following hazards are likely to occur without warning pyroclastic flows, mud flows, and ash falls." There's also a small, central buffer zone open only during daylight hours. Montserrat Gov. Tony Abbott a British official, says the island can cause now the island has a major attraction everyone wants to see, an active volcano," she reasoned. Although Montserraf airport has been buried by ash, the island can be reached via ferry or helicopter from Antigua, 27 miles to the northeast Scientists today believe the volcano is finally settling down for good. But as it does, Soufriere Hills continues to shoot dark, perilous-looking clouds thousands of feet into the air.

On May 22, Montserrat experienced at least 150 earthquakes, albeit minor ones that residents and tourists couldn't detect For years, the volcano has spit lava that is so thick, it doesn't flow away easily but accumulates to form a dome which is collapsing, causing volcanic activity. "We keep seeing activity as the volcano goes back to sleep, but the volcano, overall, is definitely quieting down," said Jill Norton, an English volcanologist at the Montserrat Volcano Observatory. Even so, only the northern third of the island blocked from the volcano by huge hills is considered safe. As a result the island's remaining 4,500 residents have been crammed into an arid, 10-square-mile region, marked by steep land and corkscrew roads. Even before the volcano, the 12,000 residents of this island, only 11 miles long and 7 miles wide, had little room to maneuver.

After the volcano erupted, two-thirds of the island's population were evacuated to Great Britain or to other Caribbean islands. The volcano was a double-whammy for Montserratians still reeling from the wrath of Hurricane Hugo, which ripped across the island in 1989 with winds of up to 150 mph, uprooting 400-year-old trees and damaging or destroying 95 percent of all structures. down the mountainside ai iw mpn. Today, the southern two-thirds of the island still aren't fit for human good to stay close to pans oi your me. She just returned from Las Vegas where she had a role in Flay It to the Bone, starring Antonio Banderas, Woody Harreison, Lolita Davidowch and Robert Wagner.

As for her dad's "Number 2' role in the 'blockbuster Austin Powers film, she says, "His fan base is now changing! People never realized (because he is so handsome) that he has a comedic talent, too." Young Wagner also wound a role in Stephen Frears' High Fidelity with John Cusack, Joan Cu- sack, Iben Hjejle and Catherine Zeta-Jones. I South shall rise again for Beals Coals to Newcastle? No but Georgia's soil jo Toronto, yes. Jennifer Beals is such a stickler for accuracy for her portrayal of Amanda Dick-in Vinwtime's biooic of habitation. That leaves Montserrat with a Herculean task: re-creating its society in only the northern third of the island. Montserratians say they're confident they can jump-start both their lives and their businesses particularly tourism shattered by the mountain threat.

Already, a few restaurants have opened. Various other long-vacant businesses have been reborn. And banks have started to make loans again so that people can build new houses and businesses. auil I Kent Anderson Leslie's Woman of Color she says she brought back samples of the rich Sparta, soil to the Canada location where a Southern plantation and other sites are reproduced. Also, before starting the role of the woman born to a white slave holder and one of his slaves in the 1830-80 South, Beals said she searched the role by visiting "People are under the impression that there's no one or nothing left on this island, but we're here and we're going forward," said Ernestine Cas- sell, Montserrat director oi tourism.

She said that, only two years ago, everyone thought tourism was dead. Beals "But I say tourism not deao De- Massachusetts chain gang inmates savor the sights Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson has a simple response: He is trying to instill inmates with a sense of discipline and civic duty and give the taxnavers a return on their dollars. Besides, Hodg Sparta. "Everyone was so friendly to me every-one except the United Daughters of the Confederacy. I couldn't get any one of them to talk to me But they're the same ones who wouldn have talked to her (Dickson) then.

Everyone else was so generous invited me into their homes." Asked about their reaction to the storyline, she said, "Everyone had his own take on her. They lived with that reality every day of their lives." Fergie may join Today' cast Is Today in the future for Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York? She's been at NBC talking a possible "correspondent" in England job. Bobby Zarem's fund-raising luncheon Wednesday at Elaine's for Fergie's Chances for Children (tents for homeless-orphaned Kosovo kids) brought contributions to $500,000, with the latest $100,000 from SFX Bob Siller-man and $50,000 from Denise Rich, who introduced Fergie. Guests included Patricia Lawford Kennedy, Anne Hearst, Kimberiey Rockefeller and Naomi Rockefeller Waletsky, who wrote the song Please Don't Turn Away, about the refugees' plight. The Palm Beach Post If only for five hours a day.

The Bristol County chain gang, two teams of five shackled inmates, scraped and painted the wrought-iron fence surrounding a correctional substance-addiction center run by the sheriff. Though some on the outside view his new task as demeaning, Woodsum said it will help him win redemption for the times he neglected his own three children while he was out drinking and using drugs. "They never had a father," said Woodsum, who went into prison four months ago and is due out next year. "This is teaching me how to work. I can better myself.

It's better than sitting in a cell." Not to mention the small perks the chain-gang details get: more comfortable, dorm-style cells, extra snacks while on duty and makeup recreation time after a hard day's work. But Joshua Rubenstein of Amnesty International wondered precisely how voluntary can a decision made by an inmate be. "There's always different kinds of incentives or disincentives involved, especially when it's the pet project of the warden," said Rubenstein, the group's northeast regional director. "If the sheriff is looking to nurture a sense of teamwork," he asked, "why doesn't he teach them synchronized swimming?" Inmates say they want the freedom from prison cells, but critics doubt the new chain gangs have a place. The Boston Globe NEW BEDFORD, Mass.

For Lawrence Woodsum, 26, degradation was not being an inaugural member of the state's first chain gang this week, shackled ankle-to-ankle to four other inmates holding paintbrushes like a bunch of tethered preschoolers. Real humiliation, Woodsum said, was found on the road to prison itself: smoking crack, stealing vegetables, sleeping on the street. Indeed, Woodsum and nine other convicts in blazing red jumpsuits Wednesday ignored the watchful eyes of armed guards and gawkers and behaved like Red Sox rookies at spring training: sucking in fresh air, gaping at a new make of car they hadn't seen since they were jailed, and checking out "the chicks" driving by. In one measure of how lousy life must be the Dartmouth House of Correction, another prisoner likened the chain gang to the feeling he gets in the company of a woman. Amen, Woodsum added: "It's freedom.

son said, only 12 out of about lOOeligible inmates those with at least 15 months left to serve, a clean disciplinary record and no sex offenses volunteered for the duty. "If Mr. Rubenstein wants to, he can ask these people if they're not volunteering and being forced," said Hodgson. "I can't be sidetracked by people who are uninformed." Hodgson and Rubenstein will debate next week in Dartmouth, one of many municipalities that want to explore the issue in public before reaching a decision. Other municipalities in Bristol County have rejected the work details.

Inmate Kevin McKee, 39, was incarcerated in December and due to be released next year after four drunken driving offenses. He said he doesn't mind being a public spectacle in a jumpsuit with "Sheriffs Tandem Work Crew" written in big white letters across the back if it keeps one kid straight. "This is what we don't want you to do when you grow up," he said. A COX Newspaper 0 WE RECYCLE For information ''on recycling in your area, call 930-2511, ext. 4511.

Enter category 1080. The call is free. MAIN OFFICE 2751 South Dixie Highway West Palm Beach, FL 33405 HOME DELIVERY RATES Seven days, $3.15 (13-wk term, rates differ by term) Monday to Friday only, $1.50 Friday to Sunday only, $1.95 Florida Lottery Scorecard Fantasy 5, Play 4, Cash Npvumaners. Inc. Deriodical oarh mnrnins bv Palm Beach i 3 additional mailing omce.

Lotto postage is paid at West Palm Beach and i imps 418-720 Postmaster: Address changes to The Palm Beach Post, P.O. Box I l- fl 7(1(1 24700, West faim ceacn, rt IUEWQ DEPARTMENTS West Palm Beach 820-4401 8-17-22-24-42-43 (0 picked all 6) (181 picked 5) (11,661 picked 4) (210,070 picked 3) 3-13-18-30-39-48 (2 picked all 6) (252 picked 5) (13,916 picked 4) (257,958 picked 3) June 5 $7 mill. $1,500 $55.50 $4 June 12 $8.5 mill. $1,436 $62 $4 4-16-21-22-25, 6- 7-16-22-23 7- 8-9-13-18 3-9-13-19-24 1-2-10-20-22 1- 2-17-21-22 9-10-13-16-17, 2- 5-7-21-25 6 9 11-12-18 2 19-22-24-26 6-5-5-5 4- 7-6-2 3-5-3-0 2-3-3-8 84-8-1 8-2-5-6 4444 244-3 1-24-5 5- 94-2 223-3550 820-3620 Stuart Royal Palm Beach 344-2505 Port St. Lucie 9-18-23-27-45-46 (0 picked all 6) (452 picked 5) (23,481 picked 4) (386,026 picked 3) 3-5-7-8-25-35 (7 picked all 6) (1,252 picked 5) (58,995 picked 4) (869,031 picked 3) 5-6-16-27-4045 (2 picked all 6) (175 picked 5) (10,414 picked 4) (197,290 picked 3) May 15 $33 mill.

$1,221 $56 $4.50 May 22 $9.4 mill. $747 $38 $3.50 May 29 $3.5 mill. $1,651 $4.50 P.B. Gardens Delray Beach 8203030 279-3450 820-4438 2-24 344 6-3-5 1- 9-1 6-1-9 2- 2-2 9-34 2-5-2 2-74 54-2 544 0-1-3 8- 14 2-54 0-24 9- 1-1 4-2-7 3- 4-5-9-23 8-9-2-0 9-1-8 June 2 4- 911-19-22 3-4-0-1 7-8-9 June 3 M2-18-19-24 1-5-4-3 1-7-6 June 4 1- 4-9-11-21 1-2-7-9 1-6-1 June 5 2- 3-10-17-24 4-0-8-9 0-54 June 6 1-4-20-21-25 7-5-7-3 9-8-8 June 7 7- 13-17-19-21 9-94-0 3-1-6 June 8 1- 5-19-21-26 2-6-1-8 8-54 June 9 3412-20 9-144 2-1-9 June 10 2- 8-15-16-25 6-5-2-8 9-0-1 June 11 MM2-24-26 1-6-2-8 1-3-0 June 12 8- 11-15-17-18 9-8-5-5 6-14 June 13 6-14-15-23-26 3-9-0-5 1-14) June 14 12-20-22-23-25 1-3-7-8 4-7-7 June 15 1- 5-13-17-22 0-7-8-9 5-24 June 16 4.9-11-12-13 2-9-7-8 9-9-9 June 17 2- 713-16-21 8-54-1 4-1-7 June 18 May 16 May 17 May 18 May 19 May 20 May 21 May 22 May 23 May 24 May 25 May 26 May 27 May 28 May 29 May 30 May 31 June 1 HOME DELIVERY AND BILLING West Palm Beach 820-4663 Other 800-654-1231 MAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS Rates vary by zone 820-4231 Subscribe at www.pbpost.com CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING Tequesta to Boynton Beach 8204343 Delray Beach to Boca Raton 800-392-7023 MartinSt. Lucie 223-3502 Fort Pierce 461 1423 In Florida 800392-7023 Legal 8203106 RETAIL ADVERTISING West Palm Beach 82O4300 B.

Gardens 820 3000 Business Entertainment Features Listening Post Opinion Sports 820-4708 820-4730 820-4702 820-4461 820-4440 Saturday' Jackpot: $7 million For tonight's lottery results, call i-900-737-7777. (77 per minute) Palm Beach Post employees will not give out numbers over the phone. 0-9-3-3 -8-74-5 1444 4-3-7-2 2- 1-34 3- 2-74 56910-24 16-19-20-22-26 3-7-12-20-23 10-11-16-22-24 2-6-10-16-22 2-54-9-21 nruuvCAUrD Palm Reach 820-4777 Friday's Mega Money Delrav Beach 800-432-7595 Boca Raton 800-432-7595 Classified 8327400 171029 Megaball: 28 Delray Beach 279-3400 .2233500 Styert.