NEWS BRIEFS
OTTAWA
New book claims Canadian World War I hero lied about his record
Associated Press
One of Canada's greatest war heroes lied about his record and made up the story of an air raid that won him the Victoria Cross, according to a new book. Billy Bishop, a World War I pilot, is credited with 72 air victories, a record among the Commonwealth nations of former British territories. A mountain peak in the Canadian Rockies is named for him, as well as an air force headquarters in Winnipeg, schools, legion halls and other buildings.
In his book out in June - "The Making of Billy Bishop" - Canadian historian Brereton Greenhous called Bishop "very brave." But Greenhous said the need for a Commonwealth hero to match the exploits of Germany's "Red Baron" - Manfred von Richthofen - caused Bishop's superiors to exaggerate his air victories.
"He was encouraged, initially, to exaggerate," Greenhous said. "Actually ... they exaggerate for him initially."
Bishop then realized he could get away with lying and continued to do so, Greenhous said.
Greenhous said Bishop concocted the story of a June 2, 1917 raid on a German air base near Cambria, France, for which he received the Victoria Cross, the Commonwealth's highest decoration for valor, for downing three planes. The historian said no German records exist about the raid.
CLEVELAND
Man sentenced to 21 years for killing girlfriend, putting body in acid-filled can
Associated Press
A judge sentenced a man to 21 years to life in prison for killing his live-in girlfriend, dismembering her body and putting it in an acid-filled garbage can on their apartment balcony.
Gerald Lee Thompson, 37, was sentenced Monday in the death of Nancy Pimentel, 26, whose badly decayed body was found June 10 at the apartment the couple shared.
An autopsy showed Pimentel had 40 bruises on her body that occurred before she died. It was unclear what led to Pimentel's murder, although Thompson told one witness that his girlfriend was holding him back and that he was tired of her.
Thompson was convicted of aggravated murder, abuse of a corpse and domestic violence.
Pimentel's mother, Maria, told the judge through tears: "I miss her so much. I love her so much. Day and night I think about her.
"Why kill her, my beautiful daughter?" she asked, looking at the handcuffed Thompson.
Judge Judith Kilbane Koch said she was "absolutely shocked by the total lack of remorse" Thompson had shown. She also noted that Thompson had a lengthy police record, including a conviction for raping a 19-year-old woman.
YUMA
District still trying to recover money spent to fix mold problem
Associated Press
Somerton's elementary school district is still trying to recover the nearly $250,000 it spent in 1999 to fix a mold problem at a new school.
Tierra del Sol Elementary School was supposed to open in August 1999 but that was delayed until January 2000 while the contractor was brought back to fix the problem.
Since the school opened, there have been two more minor occurrences of mold, which the contractor also fixed.
The district's attorney, Spencer Smith, said district officials don't know who is to blame for the problem but nevertheless want full reimbursement.
The district sued both the contractor and the firm that designed the school.
