Jasper

The two best things about Jasper, Texas, a made-for-TV movie about a town trying to cope in the aftermath of a horrid hate crime, are Jon Voight and Louis Gossett Jr. The two Oscar-winning actors don't just carry the film, they pick it up, hold it high over their heads and twirl it a time or two until it almost starts to dazzle. Enjoy the performances, but don't be fooled by the film. In the end, Jasper, Texas, is not a great movie. There's a tension at its core that the film never resolves, and that failure is fatal.

On May 15, 2004, WILLIE JASPER. Friends may call at the FAMILY OWNED MARCH FUNERAL HOME WEST, INC., 4300 Wabash Avenue, on Wednesday after 8:30 A.M., where the family will receive friends on Thursday at 11:30 A.M., followed by funeral service at 12 noon. See www.marchfh.com.

JASPER, Texas -- One of the suspects in the alleged racially motivated murder of a black man may have sprayed the victim's face with black paint before he was dragged almost three miles along a winding rural road, court documents show.The gruesome death of James Byrd Jr., 49, in the early morning of June 7 has brought international attention to Jasper. Three white men, including two who may have ties to white supremacy groups, were quickly arrested and charged with murder.In a search warrant affidavit made public yesterday, investigators asked for tests to seek "chemical compounds forming paint" on the hands of Russell Brewer Jr., 31, of Sulphur Springs.

A Sykesville woman who stole more than $13,000 from a 78-year-old neighbor under the pretense of helping the frail woman was given a suspended seven-year prison sentence Friday.Gloria Jasper, 46, of the 4800 block of Old Washington Road was placed on three years of probation and must make restitution within that period.Jasper pleaded guilty to theft in February. Prosecutors said she wrote checks for her neighbor, Sarah C. Bender. The amounts shown in the checkbook register often were nominal, but bank statements showed the checks had been written for higher amounts.

Letters, calls and the roar of the crowd:Mandy Heeke, Jasper, Indiana: I am in eighth grade at Jasper Middle School in Jasper, Indiana. I've had to read your columns for the past eight weeks. For each article I had to write a summary about what your view was, and what I thought about it.I was just wondering, what you would say if you were asked about abortion. Would you be for or against it?COMMENT: I am for abortion in only three instances:1. In the case of rape or incest.2. To save the life of the mother.

On Monday, April 4, 2005, FRANCES, beloved wife of Jasper A. Swim, devoted mother and mother-in-law of Jasper Allen and Cynthia Swim, grandmother of Katherine Swim. She was predeceased by brother John R. Fox. Funeral services will be held at the Westminster United Methodist Church, 162 East Main Street, Westminster, MD on Thursday at 10 a.m. The family will receive friends at the Pritts Funeral Home and Chapel, 412 Washington Road, Westminster on Wednesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made in her memory to the National Wildlife Federation, 310 Tyson Drive, Winchester, Virginia 22603 or to the Heritage Foundation, 214 Massachusetts Avenue NE, Washington DC 20002.

Weary from lack of sleep and a broken heart, Mark Jasper spoke softly yesterday about his only son, Davon. He had spent most of the day in silence, thinking about the 2 1/2-year-old who was attached to life support after nearly drowning Monday while on a field trip in Carroll County with his day care center.By 8 p.m. last night, Jasper and family members had made the final gut-wrenching decision, asking doctors to remove life support from Davon William Jasper, allowing him to die and donating his vital organs to others.

Victor Thillet Old Mill, indoor track For the second straight season, Thillet swept all three distance events at the Anne Arundel County championships, giving him eight county indoor titles in three seasons. The 5-foot-5, 120-pound All-Metro senior, a state 1,600-meter champ last season and state 3,200-meter champ his sophomore year, won the 800 meters in 2: 03.9, the 1,600 meters in 4: 33.7 and the 3,200 meters in 10: 15.6 on Friday. He is a two-time National Guard Meet champion in the 1,500 meters, and started at midfield for the Old Mill soccer team.

Caroline Jasper only gets better with age. At 54, she doesn't plan on sitting still anytime soon. "I am not retirement material," she says, explaining that she loves painting. Jasper, a resident of Bel Air, is a critically acclaimed artist, and her paintings have won numerous awards and hang in public and private collections worldwide. Recently, she put down her brush and picked up a pen to write a book on color theory, due out in fall of 2004. However, she continues to paint, teach painting workshops and spend time with her family.

Suddenly on November 26, 2003, ROBERT ANDREW BACIGALUPA, JR.; devoted father of Benjamin C. Bacigalupa and his wife Christina and Joseph V. Bacigalupa; beloved son of Robert A. and Jacqueline E. Bacigalupa; dear brother of Robin Tracy, Sharon Crispino, Stephanie Buckel and Charles and John Bacigalupa; loving grandfather of Jasper and Lilly Bacigalupa. A Memorial Service will be held at the family owned Ruck Towson Funeral Home, Inc., 1050 York Road (beltway exit 26A), on Sunday, November 30 at 3 P.M. Interment private.