Green Bay Press-Gazette from Green Bay, Wisconsin • Page 1

HIGH SCHOOL PLAYOFFS Green Bay East, Manitowoc, Seymour, Wrightstown, Brillion and Niagara advance in WIAA football actionC-1 WEDNESDAY, October 25, 1995 5Q0 Si Principal dunked Johnson had help remembering He admits Basten assisted him; defenses rest cases ''3 By Paul Srubas Press-Gazette The Monfils trial -A f- eta -c "missing, off the job," Johnson said. Monfils' body was found the next day in a paper pulp vat at the James River paper mill. Johnson said he never had physical contact with Monfils that weekend. "I never threatened anybody at that mill," he said when asked if he threatened Monfils. And asked if he helped place Monfils' weighted body into a pulp vat, Johnson said, "No, nothing like that ever happened." David Wiener Please see MonfilsA-2 Defense lawyers want to show Wiener iiedA-2 Tuesday's highlightsA-2 What's aheadA-2 A prosecutor turned the tables on defense lawyers in the Tom Monfils case Tuesday by claiming details in Mike Johnson's testimony were planted by somebody else.

Only this time, the details weren't planted by Green Bay police Sgt. Randy Winkler and his supposedly aggressive interview techniques but by co-defendant Dale Basten, the prosecution said. Johnson became the sixth and final defendant to testify in his own defense Wednesday. All six defendants have denied harming Monfils. Johnson's lawyers finished presenting their case this morning, and the defense attorneys rested their cases.

i-r- V-Tff Prosecutors began presenting their rebuttal this morning. Johnson, Basten, Keith Kutska, Mike Piaskowski, Rev Moore and Mike Hirn are accused of being party to homicide in Monfils' death. "Did Mr. Basten assist you in remembering?" prosecutor Bill Griesbach asked. "Yes," Johnson answered.

In particular, Basten helped him remember that Kutska had joined Johnson and Basten in the No. 9 machine's control booth on Nov. 21, 1992, to announce that Monfils was Press-Gazette photo by Ken Behrend In the tank: It was a little chilly Tuesday, but Washington Middle School Principal Jack Washington took a dip voluntarily in a dunk tank at the school as part of a school fund-raiser. Mike Johnson Sixth and final denial raOODfi) IkgffG Passage likely; nearly all of us will be affected 5- Knight-Ridder Newspapers WASHINGTON It is the mother of all budget bills. And it touches us all.

The House and Senate this week expect to pass a foot-high GOP bill that would put the government on track to a balanced budget in seven years, as well as cut taxes for many middle-class and wealthy people. Americans numbed by years of congressional budget babble may not realize it, but this bill is different. It commits to actually balancing the federal budget by a certain date. "Previous bills have reduced the deficit, but never attempted to get to a balanced budget," said Susan Tanaka, a budget expert with the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan anti-deficit group. The Republican bill runs to more than 1,900 pages in the Senate version, more than 1,500 pages in the House.

Its provisions, set down in cryptic legislative language, would affect the lives of nearly every American. For example: College students would face higher interest costs on education loans. Stock market players who buy low and sell high could exclude! half their gains from income taxes. Millions of elderly Medicare beneficiaries would be encouraged; to join cost-conscious managed--care health plans, instead of the traditional open-ended government plan. They'd also pay higher premiums for Medicare coverage.

Nursing-home residents would lose federal standards that help protect their quality of life. Middle-class and some upper-income families would get a $500-per-child tax credit. Working poor families would lose part of a government payment that's intended to encourage them to keep working. Welfare recipients would be required to work. Doctors and hospitals would have to adjust to scaled-back Medicare and Medicaid payments.

In Washington, the bill is known as "reconciliation," an unusual name considering all the political fighting it gives rise to. It "reconciles" existing laws on government benefit programs with new fiscal priorities. President Clinton has threatened to veto the reconciliation bill. 4 i -v -r. a f-t XX: 14 -v Yi Senators: Our plan would save billions Press-Gazette photo by Ken Behrend In good health? Nurse practitioner Greg Bautch of the Health Care for the Homeless Program.

Local health Appleton, right, checks Dave Chamberlain, of the N.E.W. care providers worry services like this one will be over-Community Shelter, 409 N. Broadway, Tuesday, as part of whelmed when Brown County ends general relief Dec. 31. By Sean Sommerville Press-Gazette Washington Bureau WASHINGTON A bipartisan group of senators, including Wisconsin Sen.

Russ Feingold, Tuesday called for elimination of 12 "corporate welfare" programs to save taxpayers $60 billion over seven years. "The proposals we're making today wouid be appropriate at any time," Feingold, a Democrat, said. "But they are especially need research would save $1 billion, and oil and gas research another $1 bilj lion. Other cuts include: agriculture marketing promotion program, $700 million; loans to rural utilities, $600 million; forest road con: struction program, $400 million; advanced light-water reactor, $280 million; subsidies for the export-import bank, $250 million; travel and tourism administration, $140 million; subsidies for military exports, $83 million. How to spend it, that's the question What's next An informational meeting on County Executive Nancy Nusbaum's 1996 budget is 5-7 p.m.

Thursday at the Neville Public Museum, 210 Museum Place. A number of county supervisors and department heads will be there to answer questions. ed now as we are in a desperate attempt to try to balance the federal budget." The group, which also includes Sens. John Kerry, John McCain, and Sen. Fred Thompson, plans to introduce its legislation during the Senate's budget reconciliation debate.

The biggest savings, $35 billion, would come from Kerry said the United States shouldn't support exports for McDonald's food and Gallo wine through the agriculture marketing promotion program. Agriculture Department spokesman Tim Galvin said most of the $100 million spent annually on the marketing promotion program aids industries, not particular brands, Galvin By Tom Cioni Press-Gazette An expected $2 million surplus in Brown County's human services budget could save the county's 1996 general relief program for the poor. But county leaders say shifting the money from one to the other is not a long-term answer. The surplus is expected because the county found ways over the last two years to provide human services for less cost. Meanwhile, a new state law allowed the county to drop its general relief program.

The County Board voted in August to end it by Jan. 1, and County Executive Nancy Nusbaum did not include it in her 1996 budget. General relief provides medicine and up to $248 a month for food and housing for 110 county The main reason the county can't use the surplus to pay for general relief is that it's a one-' time revenue and general relief is a continuing commitment, county Finance Director Pat Webb said. The most probable use for the surplus would be to reduce property taxes in future years, Webb said. Sup.

Darlene Marcelle, county's Human Services Committee chairwoman, said her committee knew of the expected surplus when it decided to end general relief. But dealing with the surplus and the cost of the general relief program were separate issues, she said. Paying for the complete general relief program still may not be the best decision for the county, even if money exists, she said. "I don't know if the communi ty of Brown County would want to just take $1 million, for example, and give it to the homeless," Marcelle said. But advocates for the homeless, who believe the homeless population will increase when general relief ends, don't buy that logic.

"For them to say there is a $2 million surplus and at the same time cut general relief is an insanity beyond belief," said Lou O'Malley, who with his wife runs Crossroads Justice Center and Shelter, an agency that helps women and families. "They're putting a lowering of the tax rate in front of someone's getting their insulin." The Human Services Please see SurplusA-2 Time line for reviewing proposed budgetA-2 Feingold Proposal 'needed now' residents ineligible for other government help programs. Most of the recipients are poor, single people. Program recipients pay back the vouchers working at minimum wage for such agencies as Paul's Pantry and the Salvation Army. said.

Feingold said the marketing promotion program, the rural utilities' loans and the forest road construction program would affect his constituents in Wisconsin. "Those for sure are items that will be closely scrutinized back home," he said. requiring the Federal Communications Commission to auction new spectrum to broadcasters. Eliminating the B-2 bomber would save an additional $18 billion. Doing away with highway demonstration projects would save $2 billion.

Cutting aircraft design Tuesday's SuperCash Thursday: WeatherOtter says: Partly sunny The Cleveland Indians will have a chance to square the World Series at 2-2 tonight. They beat the Atlanta Braves, 7-6, in 1 1 innings Tuesday nightC-1 Snow White or O.J. Simpson? Young trick-or-treaters prefer the former while adults are buying masks of the latter, as well as likenesses of Judge Ito, Marcia Clark and other cast members in the Simpson trialD-1 Around the Bay B-3 Classified C-5 Comics D-6 Lifestyle D-1 LocalState Money B-5 Nation A-3 Obituaries B-2 Opinion A-7 Records B-2 Sports C-1 TV listings 0-7 95 3G Pick 3: 9-3-6 Michigan, Illinois lotteries B-2 Weather: B-6.