European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 30, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday. November 30, 1991 the stars and stripes a Page 7boxer s daughter inherits his fighting spirit a Janet Louis Barrow Joe Louis adopted daughter with her guardian Luis Irretta Holmes at their Las vegas Home. The photo shows Louis and Singer Frank Sinatra. By Robert Macy the associated press Las vegas a in a City where boxers enjoy megabucks paydays the disabled adopted daughter of boxing legend Joe Louis is doted Over by a guardian whose greatest fear is the Day she can no longer care for the girl. Despite the concerns and their modest existence thanksgiving is a very special time for 15-Ycar-old Janet Louis Barrow and her guardian Angel Lauretta Holmes. It was thanksgiving Day 1979 that Janet emerged from a three month coma after nearly drowning in a family swimming Pool. The Accident a and subsequent cerebral palsy a left her brain damaged disabled and unable to speak. But the tragedies that left her marred physically have failed to break her spirit. A i think Janet is going to be Here for a while a Holmes said wednesday afternoon As she adjusted the girl s 54-Pound Frame in a wheelchair. A i think god is going to see to it that she s Here for a while. She s a Strong Little girl and she s got a will to  Holmes won t Tell you her age just that she s a Over 35.&Quot she was left nearly sightless by a stroke eight years ago. She worries about the Day she will be gone and what will happen to the girl she has mothered much of the past 11 years. Her greatest dream is to have enough Money so that she can see Janet is properly cared for when she is gone. She fears Janet May someday be placed in an institution a and i could t stand having her in one of those  a i just love her so much you can understand Why i worry a she says squeezing a frail hand that reaches out to her. A i want to make sure she scared for. Then i can go away in peace knowing someday she will come to  Joe Louis died in 1981, financially broke. He ruled the boxing world from 1937 to 1949, and Many boxing purists consider him the greatest heavyweight in history. But he was four decades ahead of the big paychecks and probably made less in his career than Many boxers now make in a single night. Holmes met Louis in 1949 and recounts playing cards with him at the Pershing hotel in Chicago. She later moved to los Angeles and there met Louis future wife Martha. She introduced the two. Louis and his wife took in Janet and her three Brothers and Sisters in the 1970s, legally adopting them in 1980. Holmes declined to talk about the four s real parents. Tragedy struck in the summer of 1979 when Janet left unattended fell into the family swimming Pool. She was taken to a Las vegas Hospital then later transferred to methodist Hospital in Houston where Joe Louis was being treated for an aneurysm. Singer Frank Sinatra paid for the trip to Houston Holmes said. Janet came out of a three month coma on thanksgiving Day 1979. A it was such a special Day for All of us and always will be Quot Holmes said. A we All had a big thanksgiving Celebration in her  Holmes helped raise Janet when Martha Louis suffered health problems following her husband s death. Martha Louis moved to Detroit in 1985 and died there last August. Janet has lived with Holmes since 1985, when she became the girl s Legal guardian. The two Are struggling financially. Their financial woes will grow today when Janet s social Security payment goes up to $559 a month pushing her past the limit to qualify Lor medicaid. Holmes said. She wants a Mote comfortable wheelchair for Janet but that s $3,800. A the one she has now is just Loo painful Quot she says. A she fights me every time i try to put her in  physical therapy and equipment that could help Janet use her frail limbs Are out of reach financially for the daughter of America s boxing legend. A column by Las vegas review Jour Nal writer John i. Smith earlier this week has brought some offers of assistance. Janet a Bright smile each morning makes i Holmes Day. But the nights can he Tough. A i m so very worried about what will happen to her Quot she said her voice breaking. A i sit up some nights and cry. It s Only me and her. And i Don t want her to end up in an  protest ride in desert allowed Riverside Calif. Apr off Road motorcyclists have won a ruling from a Federal judge allowing them to stage a protest ride across the Mojave desert in their bid to resurrect the Barstow to Las vegas race. . District judge Gary Taylor on wednesday signed an exemption to a Bureau of land management order closing the race route which runs through Eastern Mojave lands inhabited by the endangered desert Tortoise. Taylor said he would permit nine members of Sahara club Usa and the president of the California off Road vehicle association to ride the route today. The Bureau closed the route last year because of environmental concerns. Taylor a ruling recognized the protest ride As a form of free speech said Sahara club president Rick Seiman. The Bureau will abide by the ruling spokeswoman Barbara Maxfield said. A your primary concern at this Point is How we re going to enforce the closure for everyone else Quot Maxfield said. She declined to discuss the Bureau s plans. About 100 protesters staged an illegal ride across the desert last year after the Bureau cancelled the traditional thanksgiving weekend race. Ten people were arrested. Four including Seiman were fined $850 each. In december the Bureau denied a request to hold the race this year citing the environmental Impact costs and the difficulty of controlling participants. To prevent a repeat of last year s protest ride the Bureau closed the major race routes to All motor traffic wednesday. The routes will remain closed until dec. 8. First run in 19h7, the race took riders across desert conservation area lands that Are Home to the desert Tortoise listed by the Federal government As a threatened species. Since its beginning the a a a to a Quot race has pitted environmental groups against off Road riders. By 1974, the race had grown to 3,0 10 participants. The Bureau under pressure from environmentalists cancelled the event in 1975 because of damage to plants and wildlife. In 1982, the Bureau reinstated the event but limited the number of entrants and the location of spectators. In december 1989, it reversed itself again citing the dwindling Tortoise population. 3 Missouri towns feast after diet Battle Republic to. A a weight loss contest Between three Missouri towns ended just in time for a thanksgiving Day pig out but the contestant who lost the most weight vowed to a stay on the  the two month Long Battle of the bulge pitted dieters from Republic Nixa and Willard in Rural southwestern Missouri. Republic contestants shed 198 pounds and Willard came in second at 95 pounds said contest organizer Rita Coombes. Nixa was no longer in the running when the final results were announced wednesday. A people Are a lot smarter now about going to the grocery store Reading labels and exercising a Coombes said. The contest began when frustrated dieters in each Small Community decided that Competition might motivate them to lose weight by thanksgiving. More than 100 people signed up for the contest which began sept. 2b. About 50 people turned out for the final weigh in tuesday at the Hammons heart Institute in Springfield. The Institute provided tips on health nutrition and exercise. Faye Hagewood. 54, of Republic lost 24 pounds the most of any contestant. Her goal had been 20 pounds. A i Cut my calories Down to 1.00 1 a Day Quot she said. Quot i continued to walk three Miles a Day which in be done for years. I just Cut Down on the Quantity of food i  it Wasny to easy though Hagewood said. A a it a hard. Its very hard a she said adding that she a craved chocolate something  she managed he waiting for the craving to pass and drinking lots of w Ater. Hagewood said wednesday she had no plans to celebrate her weight loss title by pigging out on thanksgiving. A will relax somewhat but wont go off the Wagon Quot she said. A i intend to Eal Turkey and dressing but no  angered Driver kills woman on sidewalk Seattle apr a Motorist angered by blocked traffic drove her car onto a sidewalk and ran Over a woman three times killing her. Janice m. Gaston was dragged about 40 tet the first Lime the car hit her Early wednesday witnesses told police. The car slopped backed up and ran Over her again. It then hit her a third Lime they said. Officer Jeffrey Barnes said Gaston and three other women were standing at a Corner talking to a Friend whose Van was blocking traffic. A woman Motorist pulled up behind the Van but the Man did not move and an argument ensued Barnes said. The Motorist then drove onto the sidewalk and struck Gaston head on Barnes said. Police were searching for the Driver