European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 31, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday january 31, 1994 . The stars and stripes Pago 5 rain swollen Rivers endanger Bridges Homes in Midwest Parkersburg . A an Ohio River swollen with rain and melted Snow surged beyond its Banks saturday unleashing floods that covered some Homes up to their roofs and Sank a 50-foot boat As it rested in a Back Yard. Floods also battered Pennsylvania where the Monongahela River threatened 100 Homes and Indiana where one River Fork Rose More than five feet above flood stage. In Parkersburg the Ohio River was 2vz feet above flood stage and was expected to Crest sunday at 5 feet above flood stage. About 200 Homes were flooded along the Little Kanawha River which flows into the Ohio. The Waters closed roads swallowed a baseball Field and a volleyball court and forced about 200 families to leave their Homes said Ken Riffle a spokesman for the Wood county office of emergency services. The Williamstown Bridge which connects Williamstown and Marietta Ohio was closed because water had covered the Ohio Side. The Hocking River flooded the Southern Ohio town of Chauncey forcing the evacuation of about 55 people and washing out the two state routes that Lead into town. About 235 people were allowed to return to their suburban Cleveland Homes after ice was cleared from the overflowing Chagrin and Rocky Rivers. Bridges in Indiana including a few that Date to the 1900s, were threatened by ice chunks from last weeks cold snap that jammed against pilings along the surging White River. In South Central Indiana the East Fork of the White River crested 5.5 feet Over flood stage but did not threaten the nearby town of Seymour. Cold Snow blast Texas Panhandle by United press International an overnight Winter storm dumped up to 8 inches of Snow in the Amarillo area As residents of the Texas Panhandle awoke sunday to face wind chill temperatures of 10 degrees below Zero. A a it a really the first big storm of the year a said Jerry Hartley a communications operator with the Texas department of Public safety in Amarillo. A we Haven to had much Snow until  the National weather service said Early morning snowfall totalled up to 8 inches in the Amarillo area with lesser amounts of 1 to 2 inches in counties to the Southeast. The news continued a Winter storm warning for sunday and sunday night for the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandle and the northeastern counties of new Mexico. In some spots in Pennsylvania the problem was ice. It clogged Waterways throughout the state. There was one place that did no to have enough ice Saranac Lake , which is Short of materials to build the traditional ice Palace for its annual carnival. Officials blamed the weather that layered Lake Flower with Snow and produced slush instead of ice. A you can to fight Mother nature a said carnival chairman Don Duso. Morgan Bayer 10, left and sister Margo 12, try to keep their dog out of the overflowing Ohio River in Moscow Ohio on saturday As flooding plagued much of the midwest.. Olympic officials consider alternate skater Portland Ore. Apr As authorities continue to probe ice skater Tonya Harding a involvement in the attack on Nancy Kerrigan . Olympic officials Are considering sending Michelle Kwan to the Winter games As an alternate skater an unusual move. If Kwan 13, were in Lilly Hammer Norway she would be available if Harding were removed from the team at the last minute. A a it a not completely confirmed a . Figure skating association spokeswoman Kristin Matta said. A Given the circumstances its definitely a  the Winter games begin feb. 12, but women a figure skating does no to Start until feb. 23, and the roster can be changed up until feb. 21. Kwan a representative issued a statement saturday saying she continues to train but has not been notified she is going to Lilly Hammer. Harding a chances of skating for the . Team and avoiding criminal charges appeared Bleak sunday As investigators gathered new evidence in the attack according to newspaper reports. Harding sex husband Jeff Gillooly spent about two hours in the mul Tomah county courthouse on saturday after reportedly working out a Deal that will re see related Story on Page 28 Duce his jail time and implicate his former wife. And investigators in Detroit the site of the Jan. 6 attack that knocked Kerrigan from the . Figure skating championships reportedly looked at phone records damaging to Harding. Gillooly a attorney Ron Hoevet would not say if Gillooly was there to testify before the grand jury investigating the Case. There were indications however that the grand jury was in session saturday. Hoevet said he and Gillooly would make a Public statement today or tuesday a Strong indication that Gillooly planned to enter a plea then. Investigators in Detroit reportedly have information that Harding asked for Kerrigan a hotel room number before the attack and made several Calls to her bodyguard Shawn Eckardt the Day of the assault. The evidence is being gathered in an apparent attempt to corroborate statements made by Eckardt who publicly has implicated Harding and Gillooly who reportedly has said she was in on the alleged plot. Gillooly Eckardt confessed hit Man Shane slant and Derrick Smith who is accused of driving the getaway car All Are free on bail. The oregonian on sunday quoted Gillooly a brother John As saying that the skaters sex husband  have implicated her had Harding stuck with the cover Story they had agreed upon. But Jeff Gillooly abandoned that protective strategy when confronted by a copy of liar Oinga a statement to investigators that implicated him John Gillooly told the newspaper. Several news organizations have quoted sources As saying Jeff Gillooly has agreed to plead guilty to one count of racketeering and would get a two year sentence rather than the maximum penalty of three years under the current conspiracy charge against him the oregonian also reported saturday that Gillooly would be fined $100,000. Deputy District attorney Norm Brink would not comment saturday on the accuracy of those reports. Meanwhile a Portland attorney is gathering information to be used by the special figure skating panel As it considers whether there is probable cause to hold a hearing on Harding a membership in the association. That could Lead to her removal from the  drawn into Campaign to attract tourists to Tennessee Nashville Tenn. A Elvis Presley has been spotted again a in a new television and promoting tourism in Tennessee. \ the commercial features a computer animated version of the Young Elvis dancing across a Graceland postcard for about 10 seconds and singing the state tourism Jingle we re May fag your song. The Presley like vocals arc supplied by country Singer Ronnie Mcdowell a a we be always wanted to have Elvis in one of our spots a said Mark forester director of communications for the Tennessee department of tourist development. A it anally dawned on us to use animation. A a it a going to be something totally different in a travel commercial that will grab Peoples attention. No other state has used  Presley spent his adult life in Memphis and died at his Graceland residence there in 1977. Graceland is now one of Tennessee Slop tourist attractions drawing 600,000 visitors a year. The Elvis spot is part of a $500,000 television Campaign that will run from next monday through april 17 on a half dozen Cable stations. Ocher ads feature country music singers Ricky Scaggs Dolly Parlon and Crystal Gayle. R