The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 1

ft Deal would give Polian 5 more years See what costumes are in and out this Halloween. Indiana Living, E1 wan muicMcipuiis uuus. opuris, ui rmTT-n- IMBIMAPOL Star "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty" II Cor. 3:17 3 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2003 A GANNETT NEWSPAPER I INDYSTAR.COM CITY EDITION I SO CENTS mm D9 in Web site details grief over fiancee's recent death A family: Liz Spaeth, shown with her and Howard Ragon's daughter, Isabella, was his soul mate, he said on a Web site where he posted photos of her after her death. Read more of his writing, A8 -J v.

i Mm kg; ney, 2, and Isabella Hope, 6 months, dead of gunshot wounds, according to the Johnson County coroner's office. Ragon's fiancee, Liz Spaeth, had died Sept. 18, one day after her car was hit by an apparent drunken driver. Ragon, who was driving, and Madeline suffered injuries in the crash. Madeline still had a cast on her leg.

That driver, Megan C. Alfano, 33, faces several drunken-driving charges. She is due in court Dec. 3. By Jason Thomas jason.thomasindystar.com FRANKLIN, Ind.

A man distraught over the death ofhis fiancee last month shot his two young daughters to death, then killed himself Monday inside their home, authorities said. After getting an e-mail tip from a friend, police went to the home of Howard Ragon, 32, in the 4100 block of Magnolia Drive in the Knollwood Farms development. Tactical units attempted to contact Ragon at about noon from Howard Ragon's fiancee, Liz Spaeth, died Sept. 18 after her car was hit by an apparent drunken driver. The couple were expecting another child.

a neighbor's house but were unsuccessful Police stormed the home, where they discovered Ragon and his two children, Madeline Dela- After the crash, Ragon posted pictures of Spaeth and the children on a Web site. Ragon was the father of both children; Spaeth was Isabella's mother and was expecting another child. In e-mails to friends, Ragon, a 1989 graduate of Southport High School, lamented Liz's death. Ragon said that Madeline, whom he referred to as Delaney, "knows that Mommy has died, See Franklin, Page A8 Submitted photo INDIANAPOLIS MAYORAL DEBATE eterson, Jordan take high road Conseco suing for Hilbert's mansion -c I Ki i I i fj il Insurance giant seeks foreclosure of founder's estate, loan repayments to recover $220 million. ByJ.K.

Wall jk.wallindystar.com Conseco Inp, seeks to foreclose on founder Stephen Hilberfs French-style mansion in CarmeL part of an attempt to recover nearly $220 million that Hil-bert borrowed while he was chief executive of the Cannel insurance giant. ON COLTS NEGOTIATIONS Bart Peterson: "if we lost the Colts, we would suddenly become a second-tier city. I think the message would go out across all of America that Indianapolis is in decline, so I think we have to do everything possible within reason to keep the Colts here." Greg Jordan: "Remember, we're talking about a team that's already making money. We just have an owner who wants to make more money than he's already making, and that's unacceptable for us to consider that for public support" ON LIFE SCIENCES JOBS Bart Peterson: "We are doing exactly what we need to be doing. The reality is we have assets here that nobody else in the country has, and we are now capitalizing on them even better." Greg Jordan: "We need to make sure we're taking advantage of other opportunities as well, whether it's advanced manufacturing or information technology.

We can't limit ourselves to one particular component" ON POLICE CONTRACT Bart Peterson: "The fact of the matter is the city doesnt have that (money). The only way to get that would be to have a massive property tax increase, and I'm simply not willing to do that" Greg Jordan: "The more people we can get working, the more people we can get paying county option income tax. That gives us additional funds that are available to -(pay police officers)." The foreclosure lawsuit, filed Monday in Hamilton Superior Court, seeks $62 million in interest payments from loans Hilbert took out to buy Conseco stock. Conseco holds the $19.4 million mortgage on Hilbert's sprawling home along 116th Street In a separate legal action filed in Chicago, Conseco Hil- Stephen MpoH Mshale Mtert The Star Genial rivals: Democratic Mayor Bart Peterson (left) and Republican challenger Greg Jordan exchanged pleasantries Monday after their debate, which was held at Ben Davis High School. Both candidates impressed onlookers by their refusal to resort to mudslinging.

bert's lawsuit contends Conseco must refund money he borrowed. How did they do? Analysis: Neither candidate broke ground, a reality that hurts Jordan more than Peterson. A9 In televised 8th debate, rivals spar over jobs, police pact and Colts On negotiations to keep the Indianapolis Colts from leaving town, Peterson said losing the team would send a message "that Indianapolis is a city in decline." Jordan continued to criticize Peterson's willingness to increase public spending on the Colts. "We need to be talking about other priorities," he said. But it was the subject of jobs which has been a top issue leading up to the Nov.

4 elections that inspired the debate's most spirited moments. Jordan, as he has throughout See High road, Page A9 By Matthew Tully matthew.tullygiindystar.com The city's mayoral candidates sparred over jobs, taxes and football as they tried to sell their visions for the next four years Monday night Democratic Mayor Bart Peterson and Republican challenger Greg Jordan didn't shout, and they didn't point fingers. But they disagreed on plenty throughout the televised 60-minute debate, which was sponsored by The Indianapolis Star and its news-gathering partner, WTHR (Channel 13). On stalled police-contract also is seeking repayment of $155 million in loans. Those claims counter a lawsuit Hilbert filed against Conseco on Sept 15, contending one of his contracts requires Conseco to refund money he borrowed.

Both sides have stated they prefer a settlement. But Conseco's attorneys indicated this month that they likely would respond to Hilbert's suit in kind. "Mr. Hilbert has made it clear to us that he is not interested in a good-See Conseco, Page A8 talks, Jordan said city police are "starving for respect" and a mayor who will negotiate fairly with them. Peterson pointed out he has offered police 3.7 percent annual raises during difficult financial times and would have to raise property taxes to go beyond that INDIANA'S NEW LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR Ball State president on way out Faculty members skeptical of official story that departure was strictly Brownell's choice.

Ball State University President Blaine Brownell will leave at the end of January. U21pedagogica, headquartered in Charlottesville, Va. But faculty leaders and supporters questioned the reasons for his departure and contended the school's Board of Trustees hasn't been forthcoming. "Do we have the full story? Not one faculty member I've spoken to buys this, and my phone has been ringing off the hook all day," said Joseph Losco, a faculty leader and chairman of the political science department "People are saying, why, why, why, all of a sudden," said Rep. Tmy Adams, D-Muncie.

"I'm See President, Page A9 By Barb Berggoetz barb.berggoetzindystar.com MUNCIE, Ind. Ball State University is searching for a new leader. But before it finds one, many on campus want answers to why President Blaine Brow-nell is leaving. Brownell, president since July 2000, announced Monday he has accepted a position as chief executive officer of an academic accrediting firm owned by an international consortium of 17 universities. He will leave his if mnjf II in immm nam Frank Espfe The Star presidency at the end of January.

"It was just an opportunity that I simply could not refuse," Brownell said of his post with Kathy Davis flanked by her husband, John Davis (left), and stepson Marshall Davis (right) took in the applause of a standing ovation that filled the chambers of the Statehouse atrium Monday after she was sworn in as Indiana's first woman lieutenant governor. See full story In City State, B1 INDEX Advice A WEATHER Low: 55 High: 65 Cooler air arrives Editorials For the Record-Billy Graham Lotteries COMING UP Wednesday's Food Drink profiles Tony Hanslits, owner of Tavola Di Tosa and Tosa Euro Cafe in Indianapolis. ONLINE OGo to lndyStar.com weather for the latest forecast and radar images. A10 Public notices F4 E2 Puzzles E6 E2 Scoreboard D5 A2 Star Classifieds Fl-8 E5 Stocks C2.4-8 Television E7 E2 Cl-8 Gl-12 -Bl-6 "MO' Business. Career Builder CityState Comics.

Movies today, along with a 4 -few clouds. 1 Complete forecast, B6 Copyright 2003 The Star.