St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page 1

series is Red Sox shatter postseason record of 18 runs Jm Tim 9 9 SPORTS, CI cJ 1 Vol. 121, No. 284 1999 Monday, October 11, 1999 50 BASEBALL PLAYOFFS (ST eaAT 53i 3 pi yn 5SJ I IJi AFL-C I will start () 42 Unbeaten Rams turn the tables on their longtime tormentors irk" elites i Jli j0 wife, Brenda, a quick kiss before leaving the field Sunday. He completed ter each of his touchdowns. "I was happy more for the guys who were in Los Angeles with me," said Bruce, who moved here with the franchise in 1995.

"We went through a lot of trying times trying to beat this team." The Rams (4-0) delighted a loud, sellout crowd. The 65,872 fans found one occasion to boo the home team: when Vermeil ran out the clock near the 49ers' goal line rather than run up the score. "I always tell my players the cheapest thing to show is class," said Vermeil, whose team won only four of 16 games last season. The Rams will travel to Atlanta next Sunday. The Falcons (1-4) lost 35-7 here last month.

SPORTS, CI Members will be able to get financing for home computers Plan affects 16 million families By Philip Dine Post-Dispatch Washington Bureau WASHINGTON The AFL-CIO will announce today an effort designed to propel organized labor into the computer age, so workers can more evenly battle corporations and hold politicians accountable. After a year of behind-the-scenes preparation, the labor federation is starting an Internet community meant to link the nation's unionized workers. Under the initiative, labor leaders will be able to push a button and immediately alert steel workers Endorsement expected AFL-CIO likely will endorse Gore for president this week. A7 across the country to prepare for a strike, without letting anyone else know. They could advise all 16 million union households to boycott a restaurant chain or ask their congressional representatives to support a bill.

Or they may tell the 200,000 union members in St. Louis to take certain actions when they show up at work to help a local organizing drive. Labor hopes that this type of far-reaching, instantaneous and precise sharing of information will help overcome the technological disadvantage that workers have Illinois' prepaid tuition program Established: 1997. The first enrollment period was in late 1998 and early 1999. The next enrollment period is Oct.

18 through Feb. 18. How it works: Enrollees "buy" semesters at roughly current tuition-and-fee prices for children who will start college in three years or more (when prices will likely be higher). Current average Illinois university tuition is about $4,164 a year (two semesters) and has been rising by about 7.4 percent annually. Eligibility: Any parent, guardian or relative of a minor child can buy a fund.

The child must be at least three years away from college. University restrictions: Any accredited university or college, public or private, is eligible, except those whose "primary purpose" is to teach religion. If the student chooses an Illinois university, tuition and fees are automatically paid; if the student chooses an out-of-state or private university, the student is given the cash equivalent of whatever the average in-state tuition is at that time. Thursday through Sunday Panel assails machine that "sniffs out" drugs during prison visits In some cases, families of Missouri inmates are turned away for wliat they say are false-positive readings. By William Allen and Kim Bell of the Post-Dispatch JEFFERSON CITY In a case that pits new technology against people who say it doesn't work, a Missouri joint legislative panel has urged the Department of Corrections to quit using a drug-sniffing machine at one of its prisons.

At issue is a machine called the Itemiser, a $64,000 piece of equipment that detects traces of narcotics on people coming to the prison to visit inmates. It has been used since May in a pilot project at the Western Missouri Correctional Center, in the northwestern town of Cameron. with the The Itemiser Itemiser, guards wipe a What it is: Similar to machines that detect drugs small paper filter on a per son's clothing or explosives at airports, the or skin, and the sample is fed into a computerized device Itemiser analyzes residue from visitors for several illicit drugs. that detects whether some one has used or handled illegal drugs. The Joint Committee on Who makes it: lontrack Instru ments of Wilmington, Mass.

What it costs: $64,000 Corrections voted 6-1 on Wednesday to have the de partment stop using the machine until an independent expert can verify its accuracy. The vote came at the request of Sen. William Lacy Clay D-St. Louis, after committee members heard testimony that false-positive readings are keeping families from visiting inmates there. Corrections Department spokesman Tim Kniest said the prison had agreed to a 30-day freeze on using the machine until the Joint Committee has See Drugs, A7 Weather Today: Sunny.

High 77. Low tonight, 54. Tuesday: Partly cloudy. High 78. Other weather, B8.

Ram-arkable THE ONLINE GUIDE postrtet.COfflJ TO METRO ST. LOUIS. in new "College Illinois!" program World Dome. "It feels good to stop that streak," Warner said, "and they can't say 'same old Rams' anymore." Isaac Bruce caught four touchdown passes, three in the first quarter as the Rams jumped ahead 21-3. "The guy is phenomenal," Warner said.

The 49ers, playing without injured starting quarterback Steve Young, had not lost to their former Los Angeles rivals since Nov. 25, 1990. "To win as convincingly as we did today, I did not expect that," Rams coach Dick Vermeil said. "We've finally caught up with the best team in our division." Bruce had the streak on his mind as he played to the crowd af away tuition cash The Jungs already know they will only have to pay about half that much for each child's tuition and fees, because they're already paying it. They send $558 a month to a new state program that allows parents to buy college tuition now, at today's rates, instead of waiting for the higher rates that will face their children when they actually enroll.

Even supporters of the "College Illinois!" program acknowledge you can put your money in more profitable places. But in the program's first year of operation, 12,000 families have decided the security of paying off one of life's biggest bills was worth it. "We tend to be a little conservative when it comes to investments," said Lenora Jung, who raises the three children full-time while her husband, a psychiatrist, works. "I felt this was a sure-fire way See Tuition, A10 ROBERT COHEN POST-DISPATCH 20 of 23 passes for 323 yards. Best starts in St.

Louis football history Only four St. Louis teams have won their first four games in the city's 33 seasons in the National Football League. 1974: 7-0 Game 8: lost to Dallas 17-14 1966: 5-0 Game 6: tied with Dallas 10-10 1995: 4-0 Game 5: lost to Indianapolis 21-18 1999: 4-0 Next game: At Atlanta it 'J nil Graham 50-year crusade Quarterback Kurt Warner gives his Warner throws for 5 TDs as Rams bid farewell to 17-game skid against 49ers By Tom Wheatley Of (he Post-Dispatch The streak has been stricken. After 17 consecutive losses to San Francisco, the Rams finally overcame the 49ers' mystique. The Rams, the only unbeaten team in the National Football League, got five touchdown passes from Kurt Warner in a rousing 42-20 victory Sunday at the Trans Thousands tuck It's a conservative if all-but-sure way to save, but many agree that all of that money, invested wisely, could produce an even greater sum.

By Kevin McDermott Post-Dispatch Springfield Bureau SPRINGFIELD, 111. With 5-year-old triplets, Randy and Lenora Jung of Belleville have a lot of future expenses to worry about. But college won't be one of them, despite the fact that by the time Jeffrey, Adam and Lauren graduate from high school, the cost for four years at an Illinois public university will likely be about $40,000. John Connors' furnishings are sold at Belleville auction The furnishings of bankrupt businessman John T. Connors were sold at auction Sunday on his front lawn in Belleville.

Total proceeds came to about $160,000. Connors, brother of tennis star Jimmy Connors, made his fortune as an investor in the Alton Belle Casino but ran into major financial problems when the price of his stock plummeted with the arrival of more casinos in the area. METRO, Bl ROBERT COHEN POST-DISPATCH Five-year-old triplets (from left) Jeffrey, Adam and Lauren Jung aren't worrying about college yet, but their parents are putting away cash monthly in the "College Illinois!" program. IN OTHER NEWS Billy Graham Crusade will visit Trans World Dome Cardinal Hall of Earner Lou Brock speaks. Saturday: Youth concert: dc Talk, a Christian rock band, and gospel Dates: Thursday-Sunday at the Trans World Dome.

Hours: Doors open at 5:30 p.m., services begin at 7 p.m. Admission: Free, ticket not required. Each night: The Rev. Billy Graham will speak about 8 p.m. Soloist George Beverly Shea and a volunteer St.

Louis choir will sing nightly except Oct. 16. Thursday: Christian balladeer Michael W. Smith sings, and Olympic gold artist Kirk Franklin perform. Sunday: Gospel singer CeCe Winans sings, and Dr.

Benjamin S. Carson Sr. speaks. Children's service: The children's service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at America's Center.

Graham will not SCOTT LAWRENCE POST-DISPATCH Auctioneer Kent Miller holds up racquetball rackets to bidders Sunday in Belleville as John Connors' property is auctioned. The rackets sold for $25. speak. No tickets are needed. More information: Call (314) 426-1999 or go to www.stlcrusade.org medal gymnast Mary Lou Retton speaks.

Friday: Charlie Daniels performs, and Editorial, B6 0llllQ9l89ll2110Qllll9 1.