The Times from Munster, Indiana • 29

MEWS WEATHER 3 WEDNESDAY, SEFIBHBER 6, 2000 ILL Robber i i FRIDAY Partly cloudy and warm. High: 80 Low: 62 SATURDAY Partly cloudy and warm. Low: 62 I Grand Rapids ,7555 saw the robber, who they described as a white man with a pock-marked face, drive off in a white van. Calumet City Police Detective Gary Devaney said there is strong evidence Charnote committed the robberies in Calumet City. 1 "The vehicle description matched.

The physical descrip-' tion matched," Devaney said. Devaney said investigators" have talked with some of the witnesses; the case remains under investigation. He said Calumet City will file charges. Homewood police would not comment Tuesday. John 0'Connell can be reached atjoconnellhowpubs.com or (219) 8524310.

and blue jeans and was 5 feet 10 inches tall and about 180 pounds, police said. Detective Sgt. Jerry Zeldenrust would not say if the Lansing Department has issued charges. "Our investigators are working in Crete," Zeldenrust said. "It looks good as far as similarities." Calumet City police said Charnote failed to get any money from an armed robbery at White Castle around 1 a.m.

Tuesday. He allegedly flashed a semi-automatic handgun to two employees and demanded all of the restaurant's money. Police said the two workers ran to the back office to call police, and the suspect left the store after he found he was unable to get behind the counter. Two customers told police they it had a time-delay lock, and the suspect lit a cigarette, told her not to sound an alarm, and left in a white van, police said. The manager told police the suspect was dirty and looked as though he had been working outdoors.

About 11 minutes after the robbery attempt at the nursery, Lansing police reported an armed robbery at Wendy's, 17200 Torrence Ave. A white man with a black shirt and jeans, armed with what appeared to be a handgun in his waistband, handed a restaurant worker a note demanding money and ran off after he received an undetermined amount. He was seen running northbound in the Wendy's parking lot with a second white man, who witnesses said wore a T-shirt Hammond 'gfc. South Bend I 7956 Fort Hi Valjioriiso I 7855 I Lafayette hdianapoUs 7 cs7657 Bioomington 7957 In the Region 4 TODAY Sunny and mild. High: 79 Low: 56 THURSDAY Mostly sunny and warm.

High: 80 Low: 60 Today's Shebf? regional highslows i Iwiu 7257 7958 Springfield 8253 oi, Almanac TUESDAY'S TEMPERATURES Chicago High 67 Low 58 Record high 98(1899) Record low 44 (1988) Norm, high 78 Norm, low 57 Gary High 68 Low 57 Record high 97(1954) Record low 40(1974) TUESDAY'S PRECIPITATION LEVELS IN CHICAGO For the day 0.00 in. Total for the month 0.00 in. Normal for the month 0.70 in. Total for the year 23.83 in. Normal for the year 24.90 in.

TODAY'S HEAT INDEX Will feel like 73 at noon. AREA SUNBURN INDEX TOMTJ IJ WI 0-2 MINIMAL UUM-VWiT RADIATION HSU 10 VERY HIGH AREA POLLEN COUNT 0 0 0 GRASS MOLDS TREES WEEDS 0 ABSENT LJ.OW 2 MODERATE 3 HIGH 4 VERY HIGH LAKE MICHIGAN 't 20 knots today. Waves 2- A eniithpact uinri at 4 feet. A southwest wind i ai j.o-o unois lonigru. Waves 3-5 feet.

Water temperature at Chicago: 74' Cedar Rapid 7758 i mt 5-6 MODERATE tlOHHSH ri 7657 City HiLo Pep. Gary 6857 0.00 Hammond 7055 0.00 Hebron 7050 0.00 Hobart 6344 0.00 Lansing 6551 0.00 SUohn 6752 0.00 In the Midwest Cincinnati 7358 0.00 Detroit 6449 0.00 Evansville 7563 0.00 Fort Wayne 6751 0.00 Green Bay 6644 0.00 Indianapolis .7054 0.00 La Crosse 7048 0.00 Louisville 7063 0.00 Madison 6847 Q.00 Milwaukee 6256 0.00 Peoria 7553 0.00 Rockford 7050 0.00 South Bend 7048 0.00 Springfield 7553 0.00 MOON PHASES SEPT. 13 SEPT. 20 SEPT. 27 The fire Inside the Valparaiso Burger King on Sunday caused an estimated $1 million in damages, including the office safe, center, which was robbed.

Continued from Al John Tsolakos, deputy chief of the Munster Police Department, said the suspect in the bank robbery was described as a scruffy-looking white man. Tsolakos said he implied that he had a weapon but never displayed one before he made off with an undetermined amount of money. Calumet City police said a white man with a badly pockmarked face, dirty white pants and a black golf shirt entered Frank's Nursery 11:44 a.m. Monday and handed the manager a note that read, "I have a gun. Give me all of the money in the safe." The manager told him she could not open the safe because Nicor Continued from Al "Every time we turn around, there's another problem," Ryan said.

"We think we have to take the next step." Nicor officials said they were disappointed with the lawsuit but would continue to cooperate with state and local officials. "We have been cooperating fully with these authorities and relying on their expertise and efforts to assist us in the development and implementation of our review program," Tom Fisher, Nicor chairman, president and CEO, said in a statement. As of Tuesday, the company said it had inspected 618 homes, and 66 of them tested positive for mercury. Nicor began testing homes in a handful of suburbs in late July after learning that a contractor hired to update its gas meters may have spilled small amounts of mercury while removing old-style gas pressure regulators. The utility serves 1.9 million customers in northern Illinois.

Concern spread to most of Nicor's service area after the company detected mercury in a home where one of its own technicians had removed an outdated gas pressure regulator. In response, Nicor announced that it would inspect more than 200,000 homes throughout northern Illinois for possible mercury contamination. But the prosecutors said Tuesday that the company's timetable of four to six months is too long. "Spilling a toxic substance such as mercury in people's homes and not informing them of the danger is an unacceptable way to do business," said Cook County State's Attorney Richard Devine. Nicor spokesman Craig Whyte said six months was a "worst-case scenario" and the company is inspecting homes as quickly as it can.

Ryan said Nicor prompted the lawsuit by failing to disclose important information to a state task force set up to study the problem. In the meantime, the problem has grown, he said. Over the weekend, for example, state environmental workers found high levels of mercury at two service centers where Nicor stored aged gas regulators before dumping them in scrap yards. Mercury also has been detected at five scrap yards, according to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Workers were to inspect other Nicor service centers in coming days.

IEPA director Tom Skinner said Nicor has been "cooperative but not particularly communicative" with state officials. The lawsuit would force Nicor to abide by a schedule set up by federal, state and local authorities for identifying and cleaning contaminated homes. It also would require the company to pay for health screenings and set up a court fund to repay residents for relocation or repairs. Named in the lawsuit are Naperville-based Nicor and contractors Henkels McCoy Inc. of Blue Bell, and Northern Pipeline Construction Co.

of Phoenix. The companies all removed regulators in homes where mercury was detected, according to the lawsuit. National forecast i. "r-V 1 tk Jr. PHOTOS PROVIDED Valparaiso was found tied up in the King.

want a false fear out there." Thomas and Goetz knew each; other. Thomas worked at Burgej-King for 14 years and Goetz was employed for one year. Police know that about 12:30 a.m. Sunday, Goetz sent home the other employee at the restaurant and was there alone. The theft and arson are believed to have 6c-.

curred shortly after that. The; crimes, and Goetz's body, weren't discovered until workers arrived at 6 a.m. Sunday and saw The Burger King where the, crimes occurred, located at U.S.; 30 and Horseprairie Avenue in Valparaiso, will remain closed' indefinitely. Detective Lt. Mike Brickner said "around-the-clock" investigating and interviews with more than 75 people resulted ia Thomas' arrest.

An official with' the Porter County Prosecutor's; Office said formal charges against Thomas, who had no criminal record, could be filed as' early as today. Ken Kosky can be reached at kkoskyhowpubs.com or (219) 462-5151, Ext 354. i 'i i SSI! ni ft r7- f. Ayr 1 The body of Lisa Goetz, 22, of cooler of the Valparaiso Burger Lisa Goetz Found tied up in Valparaiso Burger King freezer Lori Thomas Told police she and Goetz came up with the plan her home. There, officers said, they recovered $4,250 in cash, some of it in a paper Burger King bag.

Police said Thomas admitted doing the crime "for the money." Assistant Police Chief Gary Evans said the department wanted to let the public know the case was solved. "We want to let the community know nobody is going from business to business doing armed robberies not that businesses still shouldn't take all precautions." "It was someone that was known who did it," added Police Chief Walt Lamberson. "It was not a random act. We don't Mi MILL I .11.. 1.

I nuiT ts- LZ I 60a ''J'Zk a 50s "tr- Death Continued from Al "We have to corroborate anything the suspect told us and we haven't done that to this point. But we still are investigating. I can't take that as gospel until we prove it." The fact that Thomas was arrested on "conspiracy" charges indicates that police believe she did not act alone. And during questioning, police said Thomas appeared to be "upset" that Goetz, 22, of Valparaiso, failed to get out of the restaurant cooler and died of hypothermia. "She was surprised about the extent of the damage (to the building) and the death that had occurred," Shirley said.

Porter County Coroner John Evans has delayed ruling on the manner of death whether it be homicide or accident until police determine if Thomas is telling the truth. "The manner of death will depend on whether someone forced and bound her and put her in (the cooler) or she was a willing participant and had knowledge of the crime that occurred," Evans said. Goetz's father, Glen Goetz of Hebron, told The Times he was aware of the statement Thomas made, and he added, "We're taking this very hard." Goetz had no marks on her body to indicate that she resisted efforts to be placed in the cooler. And because the cooler does not lock, Goetz should have been able to get out even if a fire started in the restaurant office started to spread. Police said tips from the public led them to question Thomas.

Police, knowing Thomas had a suspended driver's license, arrested her for driving with a suspended license at 9:30 p.m. Monday. Detectives questioned her until about 1 a.m. Tuesday, eventually getting a confession, Shirley said. Thomas agreed to let police search SUNRISE SUNSET Sunrise 6:22 a.m.

Sunset tonight 7:14 p.m. Hours of daylight 12 52 min. Sunrise Thursday 6:23 a.m. Sunset Thursday ......7:12 p.m. Moonrise today 2:53 p.m.

Moonset today rf. I WEATHER CENTRAL, MADISON, WIS. C2000 omm Customers will net Qualify. Qggjgjj Tuesday Today Thursday Tuesday Today Thursday Anchor! 53440.00 5745c 5736sh My 73720.55 7464t 7765t Abo- 81700.00 7567sh 7867t 76690.00 8064pc 8263pc Atlantic City 67580.00 70545 74558 HnOfam 97800.00 8973pc 8872t Mm 69600.00 7255s 7557t MeYort 66520.00 71589 7362s rafcitiMi 90730.00 7969t 7866t No 74681.43 7363c 7661pc BoriM 62490.00 6652s 7158s Or 96750.00 9766s 9766pc Buff 62450.00 6952s 7357j OoakJ 80570.00 8361s 8160t CtarMb 75630.01 6860sh 7463t 0rto 92740.00 9176t 9175t CMnaa 73580.00 7858s 80599 MtMfia 69560.00 72549 74579 O-oM 64520.00 71539 78579 100780.00 10179pc 10282t Data 99820.00 9771s 96699 P-J 67490.00 72525 76561 Dm 93560.00 8855t 7852t Anita On 66490.00 7455pc 7356pc Detn 64490.00 75569 80589 U6 72630.01 69589(1 7558t HartM 83460.01 68469 74505 79590.00 8266s 85645 HonoWa 79730.07 87759 87749 SUir 79650.00 80569 8053pc HotM 105740.00 9870pc 9470t Sutkft 76630.00 7565pc 7364pc iKkxmlt 86720.59 8973t 8871t SniFmieta 69510.00 71555 68555 KamOr 79590.00 82648 8662pc Sm 58480.00 7153pc 6855c laVp 92730.00 9472pc 9670pc SjnMit 63400.00 68465 72545 Lib Rock 87710.00 8964s 8762pc Tmoi 89730.09 9075t 9077t LMAjKriM 76610.00 85615 8563pc Wi5tkl 87590.11 73589 76615 Ummm 70630.00 81635 82635 TUESDAY'S NATIONAL HIGH i LOW; MM 91790.00 9079t 8979t ri, Minrtu 62560.00 7257s 7760c nwi Mmmp 69510.00 7557pc 7557pc LOW 25 rwnte. Caiil.

World temperatures today Barcelona 7868s Mexico City Rome 7860pc Beijing 8975pc Montreal 72403 Singapore 8874t Cairo 9075s Moscow 6754pc Sydney 7254s LomkM 6651sh Parii 6758pc Tokyo 8677t 5t ALL MAPS, OATA AND 6KAPHICS PHOVIOCD fY 4.9 5.9 Flnijfng through For MotoCradlt Iptiml. i I If i.