The Times from Munster, Indiana • 19

EAST FRIDAY. NOVEMBER 6, 1998 The Times Itft The Region A compilation of regional stories from Tunes staff and wire reports Guide dog in-training visits school hi i i Hebron elementary students study companion dogs use by disabled. HEBRON Dell sprawled comfortably under the chalkboard of Toby Fisher's fourth-grade classroom, never taking his eyes off Jeanie Campbell, her handler. Dell is an 18-month-old golden retriever and is being trained by Campbell, her husband and her three daughters as a working dog for people with physical disabilities. The program is operated by Canine Companions for Independence of California.

The 96 fourth-graders at Hebron Elementary School are in the middle of a unit on physical disabilities. When Dell completes her training later this year, Campbell said she will be able to open doors, carry briefcases, retrieve objects and deliver them to other people and open refrigerator doors. Fully trained dogs can even go grocery shopping, picking items off shelves and tossing them in the cart. Campbell said the companion dogs will learn up to 84 separate commands. One, "My lap," tells the dog to jump on the person's lap, from where the animal can retrieve items from a backpack.

The dogs are trained to ignore distractions and Residents want city to buy eld South Works plant Nearly 30 concerned residents and community activists gathered Thursday in frigid rain in the latest effort to persuade City Hall to acquire and develop the Steel Inc. South Works property. The South Works property is owned by USX the parent company of U.S. Steel Group, which is willing to sell the nearly vacant 570 acres for $85 million. For more than 110 years, the company produced steel at the site, which sits on Chicago's lake-front between 79th and 91st streets.

A myriad of plans for the site's development have been suggested, including construction of 6,000 homes, boat slips, shopping malls, schools and even the relocation U.S. 41, which now winds around the property. Mother accused of killing kids kept away from inmates The Calumet City woman accused of killing one child and critically burning another has been moved into solitary confinement to protect her from angry fellow inmates. Maria Rivera, a 31-year-old mother of three, was charged Sunday with murder, attempted murder and arson after she allegedly confessed to setting a 1993 fire that killed a 23-month-old daughter and an Oct. 23 blaze that severely burned 4-year-old son Christopher Jr.

Both fires were set at the family's 155th Street home in Calumet City. Rivera was kept in the psychiatric unit at Cook County Jail until Wednesday night, when she was transferred to solitary confinement to protect her from other inmates. SHERYL SUE SIDWELL THE TIMES Jeanie Campbell of the Canine Companions for Independence gives a high five Thursday to Dell, an 18-month-old golden retriever being trained as a working dog for people with physical disabilities. The duo gave a presentation to fourth-graders at Hebron Elementary School. to constantly stay by their owners, even following them into the bathroom or into the shower.

To open a refrigerator, the dog grasps a knotted robe tied around the handle and pulls. City Hall will host meetings again Metros said city meetings were last held in City Hall in 1992. "I took office in January, and the ADA went into effect January 22," the mayor said. "We held one meeting and one presentation there." City meetings had been held at the Crown Point School administration building, and currently are held at the Civic Center, just south of City Hall. The building was most recently renovated in 1990 under Mayor James Forsythe, at a cost of $422,000.

That covered work on the city council meeting room to include new carpeting, paint, and a carved wood dais. The room is used for press conferences. Installation of a lift had been planned in 1994, until bids came back higher than expected. The reopening of City Hall for municipal meetings will free up the Civic Center for more senior citizen activities. That building is also home to the city's senior citizen center.

"We've had to bump our seniors around with all our meetings," Metros said. rfij.l All offices by votes received in Lake Of Lake County precincts reporting voters only) UNITED STATES SENATOR vi) Bayti (D) 80.073 Paul Helmke (R) 21.429 flebecca Sink-Burns (L) 1,139 SECRETARY OF STATE Cheryl L. tittle (D) 64.142 Su Anne Gilroy (R) Stephen W. (Steve) Dillon (L) 2,826 AUDITOR Of STATE i Robert E. Hill (D) 64.722 Connie Kay Nass (R) 29.780 Fiancis Leon (Frank) Rndley (I) 2,263 5 TREASURER OF STATE Cleo Washington (D) 61,511 Tim Berry IR) 32.042 'leoha McPherson (L) 3,619 CLERK OF THE SUPREME COURT Douglas C.

Leatherbury (D) 62,702 Bnan Bishop (R) 30,413 rftonald J. (RJ) Tavel (L) 2.049 U'i. REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 1 Peter J. Visclosky (D) 70.576 Petyo (R) 20,160 Michael Crass (L) 1,070 U.S. REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 5 David Steele (D) 4.523 Steve Buyer (R) 6,317 Carl D.

Waters (L) 171 rSTATE SENATOR DISTRICT 1 Frank Mrvan Jr. (D) 12.738 Sandra Dempsey (R) 12,270 i STATE SENATOR DISTRICT 4 Rose Ann Antich (D) 8,640 li-rii J5TATE SENATOR DISTRICT 6 Sue Landske (R) 18,105 STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 1 I linda C. Lawson (D) 6.731 Mirhaol IMikol Alan Tiltops IR1 9 R3R STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 2 (D) 11,128 STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 3 PChaMie Brown (D) 9,648 STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT "ban C. Stevenson Sr. (D) 8,391 ESTATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 12 jes.se M.

Villalpando(D) 7,570 STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 13 (Chester F. Dobis (D) 9,776 -'STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 14 Vernon G. Smith (D) 9,532 REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 15 Lfimothy Fesko (R) 9,914 fiMichael D. Backlund (L) 986 STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 19 'Robert Kuzman (D) 7,267 'Nicholas J. (Nick) Gasparovic (R) 5,424 "'jUDGE OF CIRCUIT COURT 31ST CIRCUIT Arredondo (D) 77,685 IM" PROSECUTING ATTORNEY 31ST CIRCUIT 'j IT tt 7Q Dcniaiu n.

vai ici uf i I "CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT N. Anton (D) 78,386 "LAKE COUNTY AUDITOR yfleter Benjamin (D) 72,381 Joe Krnicn (K) it.8il LAKE COUNTY TREASURER Peggy Holinga Katona (D) 76,830 LAKE COUNTY SHERIFF -John A. Buncich (D) 77,523 Max Baer Robinson (L) 9,542 1 1AKE COUNTY ASSESSOR rfPaul G. Karras (D) 67,349 Donna M. Steward (R) 30,927 6 LAKE COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 1 Rudolph Clay (D) 29,645 -LAKE COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT 1 Bernadette C.

Costa (D) 8,888 ''LAKE COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT 2 Ttey Montgomery (D) 12,774 COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT 3 Wilt A. Smith Jr. (D) 13,123 hiii LAKE COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT 4 Thomas C. O'Donnell (D) 8,293 L'ahce E. Ryskamp (R) 8,004 LAKE COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT 5 Aguilera(D) 9.914 --Dennis W.

Ogden (R) 2,665 Olll.l COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT 6 Donald Potrebic (D) 8.281 Undsey Jr. (R) 5,856 'iCOUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT 7 M. Lizak (D) 5,790 Larry N. Blanchard (R) 11,074 KT0WNSHIP offices "r6ALUMET TOWNSHIP ASSESSOR Booker Blumenberg Jr. (D) 26,869 CALUMET TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE Dozier T.

Allen Jr. (D) 26,758 ''(. CALUMET TOWNSHIP BOARD MEMBERS (3) -Roosevelt Allen Jr. (D) 26,016 "Joel Henry Harris (D) 25,188 Valerie Levy (D) 25,434 CEDAR CREEK TOWNSHIP ASSESSOR 6onald E. Wleklinski (D) 1,096 -i Cynthia Bruckman Vick (R) 1,255 CEDAR CREEK TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE Deff R.

Popka (D) 966 Alice F. Dahl (R) 1,373 CEDAR CREEK TOWNSHIP BOARD (3) Catherine D. Gwyn-Whiddon (D) 883 William F. Henderson (D) 829 George L. Lesniewski (D) 894 Donald Edward Cade (R) 1.126 Robert T.

Gunning (R) 1,268 Ronald E. Mills (R) 1,173 CENTER TOWNSHIP ASSESSOR rJphjiR. Sabo(D) 2.256 Martha Wheeler (R) 3,924 CENTER TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE F.iKH.Patt Patterson (D) 2,849 Colleen Rees (R) 3.113 iNTER TOWNSHIP BOARD (3) -John C. Ensweiler (R) 3,387 fJdpnW. Strong (R) 3,786 Roland E.

Wise Jr. (R) 3,542 EAGLE CREEK TWP. ASSESSORTRUSTEE James Lee Morrow (R) 275 EAGLE CREEK TWP. MEMBERS (3) Wilbert E. Fitch (R) 217' John R.

Jurs (R) 224 Bruce McNeill (R) 217 -ITU HANOVER TOWNSHIP ASSESSOR Mary Joan Dickson (D) 881 "Oart G. Speichert (R) 899 HANOVER TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE James W. Hunley(D) 960 Richard H. Niemeyer (R) 870 I County: with 100 percent denotes totals are for Lake County HANOVER TOWNSHIP BOARD (3) Phillip R. Allan (D) 760 Russell Neeves (D) 725 Richard S.

(Rick) Sharoe (D) 613 Robert Calabrese (R) 892 John P. Conley (R) 879 Keith A. Piszro (R) 803 HOBART TOWNSHIP ASSESSOR Julia M. Wolek (D) 5.654 HOBART TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE Barbara S. (Barb) Rosser (D) 5,377 HOBART TOWNSHIP BOARD (3) Victor C.

Cox (D) 4,552 Michael E. Ellis (D) 4.686 George A. Sufana Jr. (D) 4,703 NORTH TOWNSHIP ASSESSOR John S. Matonovich (D) 20,157 Gerald J.

Mazur (R) 12.963 NORTH TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE Greg Cvitkovich (D) 21.017 Barbara Blaszak (R) 11,943 NORTH TOWNSHIP BOARD (3) Peter D. Auksel (D) 20.669 Ray M. Halas (D) 20.563 Alice Mamala (D) 21,044 Thomas W. Drake (R) 11,077 Thomas J. Kocon (R) 11,015 ROSS TOWNSHIP ASSESSOR Randall J.

Guernsey (D) 5.397 William M. Hamer (R) 3,160 ROSS TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE Renee Connelly (D) 4,069 John W. Rooda (R) 4.629 ROSS TOWNSHIP BOARD (3) Robert J. Hamady (D) 5.644 Ann Marie LaMarca (D) 4,234 PatWiding(D) 5,562 Richard J. Chrispell (R) 4,148 ST.

JOHN TOWNSHIP ASSESSOR Ronna M. Lukasik (D) 4,824 Hank Adams (R) 5,181 ST. JOHN TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE David A. Dowling (D) 5.129 James H. McShane III (R) 4,714 ST.

JOHN TOWNSHIP BOARD (3) George Baranowski (D) 4,711 William A. Bednar (D) 4,606 Diana L. Johnson (D) 4,241 Alfred M. Hansen (R) 4,547 Patrick John McNeill (R) 4,369 MaryTanis(R) 4,544 WEST CREEK TWP. ASSESSORTRUSTEE Rick Niemeyer (R) 857 WEST CREEK TOWNSHIP BOARD (3) Gerald Little (R) 640 Michael R.

Mclntire (R) 621 Harold Mussman Jr. (R) 619 WINFIELD TOWNSHIP ASSESSORTRUSTEE John B. Curley (R) 1,143 WINFIELD TOWNSHIP BOARD (3) William L. Cope (R) 885 Linda G. Eisenhauer (R) 899 Rick Ferraro (R) 897 TOWN COUNCILS CEDAR LAKE TOWN COUNCIL WARD 1 Antoinette (Tosh) Krupa (D) 713 Robert H.

(Bob) Carnahan (R) 903 CEDAR LAKE TOWN COUNCIL WARD 3 Patricia Jean Wisniewski (D) 1,074 CEDAR LAKE TOWN COUNCIL WARD 5 Jane A. Deinema (D) 720 Allan L. Westerhoff (R) 876 DYER TOWN COUNCIL WARD 2 Glen L. Eberly (D) 1,283 Mary C. McShane (R) 1.138 DYER TOWN COUNCIL WARD 4 James H.

Thomas Jr. (D) 1,553 DYER TOWN COUNCIL WARD 5 Patricia M. Schwoegler (D) 1,001 Deborah L. Neumaier (R) 1,353 LOWELL TOWN COUNCIL WARD 2 B. Lynne Adams (D) 451 Karen J.

Brooker (R) 1,115 Sam F. Oliverio Jr. (I) 264 LOWELL TOWN COUNCIL WARD 4 Dennis Jaeger (D) 759 Larry R. Just (R) 980 SCHERERVILLE TOWN COUNCIL WARD 2 John H. Fladeland (D) 667 Lawrence B.

Dombrowski (R) 530 SCHERERVILLE TOWN COUNCIL WARD 4 Tom Kouros (D) 489 Ed Cook (R) 523 ST. JOHN TOWN COUNCIL WARD 3 KathyJ. Willman(D) 861 Randy N. Parish (R) 845 SCHOOL BOARDS HOBART AT LARGE (7 POSITIONS) Jason Back 2,458 John Hevel 2,432 Joseph A. Kawecki 1,653 Nancy D.

(Debbie) Medellin 2,806 James E. Mellon 2.660 Nancy J. Norris 2,575 David Phelps 2,293 Brian R. Rosenbaum 2,939 Larry J. (John)Thyen 2,468 Ryan S.

Turley 2,475 LAKE CENTRAL SCHERERVILLE Debra Anne Phelps 7,058 LAKE CENTRAL UNINCORPORATED (ST. JOHN TWP.) Howard W. Marshall Jr. 6,870 MERRILLVILLE DISTRICT 1 Betty W.Guice 2,520 Donna Rene Stath 4,574 MERRILLVILLE DISTRICT 2 L.J. Crist Jr 2,963 Scott Rosenbalm 4,480 MERRILLVILLE DISTRICT 3 Mark S.

Lucas 5,115 Charles Stupic 2,067 TRkCREEK AT LARGE (2 POSITIONS) Morris L. Livengood 1,901 Cheryl L. Rosevear 2,545 CEDAR CREEK Gregg L. Holley 1,865 WHITING AT LARGE (2 POSITIONS) James J. Buckley 663 Milo Dumezich 679 Mary S.

Fetsis 477 Linda R. (Lindy) Fisher 276 John J. Jaros Jr. 269 Jeremiah J. Moynihan 578 LOWELL REFERENDUM "Shall the town of Lowell change Into a city?" Yes 765 No 1,047 Crown Point gets new entry way for building; work to comply with ADA continues.

BY DIANE KRIEGER SPIVAK Times Correspondent CROWN POINT The City Council may meet in the City Hall next month, for the first time in nearly seven years. "Our goal is to have the first council meeting in December," acting City Engineer Jeff Ban said. Renovations to make 50-year-old building handicapped accessible began in September. The improvements include a lift to carry people to the meeting room on the second floor, work which was required under the Americans with Disabilities Act to make that room accessible to all residents. The Board of Public Works also recently approved renovations which will include an extended entryway on East Street, new access to the vertical lift, and work to make the second-floor re- Air quality Local group to identify pollution sources.

BY LAURI HARVEY Times Staff Writer GARY The Indiana Department of Environmental Management now has help on the local level with addressing air quality concerns in Northwest Indiana. The Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission's environmental committee is partnering with Methodist Hos stroom accessible to people with disabilities. The work will increase the cost of the project from $79,800 to $138,000, Ban said. He said the bump-out entry-way, which is about 5-foot deep by 12-foot wide, will create a definite entry to City Hall. The two-story bump-out will include a clock tower at the to, and a sign to identify the building.

Improvements also will include modification of the entry into the clerk-treasurer's office to make it handicapped accessible from the front entrance on East Street, so that residents do not have to go through the Planning Office entry at the back. Work is being done by Tonn and Blank of Michigan City. The improvements, said Mayor James Metros, will not come out of taxpayers' pockets, but will be financed by $91,000 from the sale of the old Peoples State Bank building on the east side of the square and another $60,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding, which came through federal funds. committee pital to serve as IDEM's Air Quality Steering Committee. The group, comprised of government officials, business representatives, environmental advocates, health experts and citizens, will be charged with identifying sources of air pollution and attempting to reduce it through voluntary actions, education and suggested enforcement.

Crown Point Mayor James Metros, who suffers from asthma, said air quality is of particular importance to him. "It's a very important issue tice case filed in Porter Circuit Court against Dr. Vishnu N. Math-ur of South Chicago. In October 1997, Judge Roger Bradford had entered a directed verdict in favor of Mathur and co-defendant Dr.

Shiv K. Sharma of Hammond after hearing evidence presented by attorneys for Audrey Bowden of Lake County, whose husband, Carl, had died after the two physicians failed to properly diagnose his cancerous leg. Crown Point Hammond man convicted in killings at drug house A Lake Criminal Court jury on Thursday convicted a Hammond man of killing two people last year in what police described as a drug house. Branton Noojin, 24, of 4642 Sheffield was convicted of one count of murder and one count of voluntary manslaughter for shooting Raymond Flowers, 26, and his wife, Maria Flowers, 39, inside their apartment at 625 Sibley Hammond, on the morning of Dec. 19.

Hammond Police Det. Sgt. Ezequiel Hinojosa said Noojin confessed to his friend David Flo-res that he picked up a gun from a table inside the Flowers home after Raymond Flowers hit him in the face, then shot Flowers in the chest. He then shot Maria Flowers in the head and ran from the apartment. gin Highland man killed in two-vehicle crash A 35-year-old Highland man was killed Wednesday morning after his van crashed into a semi-tractor trailer on 111.

31, closing down portions of the road for three hours. Arthur F. Palermo, of 2331 99th was northbound on 111. 31 about 10 a.m. when his company van, owned by Arco Electric in Burbank, 111., crossed the center line and sideswiped a semi driven by Craig Beck, 42 of Lombard.

The collision jarred loose some ladders atop the Palermo vehicle, which flew into the windshield of a car following the semi, driven by Jean Horner, 33, of Fox River Grove. Hamitsond Malpractice case reinstated against doctor announced when we talk about our health and quality of life," Metros said. "The greatest thing we can do as elected officials, environmentalists, business people and citizens of this great county and this great nation is to leave this world a little bit better for the next generation. If we can do that, we can say we've been successful." Lake and Porter counties are designated as severe non-attainment zones for the air pollutant ozone under the old federal standard, meaning they do not meet federal air quality standards. But the appellate court said enough evidence of poor medical care had been presented to preclude such a verdict at trial before the defense had presented its case.

The Court of Appeals or-. dered the case retried. "I feel totally vindicated," said East Chicago attorney Stephen Cohen, who represented Bowden and her husband's estate during the abbreviated jury dial. "The judge totally ignored the evidence." Niple's project manager, said a "seamless" transit system is a coordinated system of transportation that will make traffic flow smoothly. He said some of the ideas being considered include widening I- 8094 by one or two lanes in each direction between 1-65 and the Calumet Expressway.

Another proposal is to widen 1-65 by one lane in each direction between U.S. 30 and 1-80. The extra lanes may be used for truck traffic only, as a way of alleviating congestion. transportation changes in store Charges say Illinois doctor diagnosed man with arthritis, but missed his cancer. BY KEVIN CORCORAN Times Staff Writer INDIANAPOLIS -The Indiana Court of Appeals on Thursday reinstated a 1990 medical malprac Study: Major Highway expansions considered to ease region's congestion.

BY BRADLEY COLE Times Correspondent The region faces major transportation changes spurred by population growth and its accompanying increase in traffic, according to an ongoing Northwest Indiana Corridor Study being conducted by an Indianapolis company. The study by Burgess Niple Consultants, the topic of a Northwest Indiana Regional Plan Commission public input session Thursday, involves members of NIRPC and the Indiana Department of Transportation. The study proposes changes to Interstates 9094, 8090, U.S. 30 and U.S. 421.

The study also looks at railroads that pass through the region and seeks ways to improve their usage while eliminating traffic congestion. Bruce Mansfield, Burgess Former cop indicted A Lake County grand jury on Thursday indicted a former Hammond police officer on charges of sexual battery and confinement James Houpt, 29, could face up to six years in prison if he is convicted of the charges stemming from a complaint lodged by a 22-year-old East Chicago woman In a report filed with the police Aug. 7 the 22-ycajKild woman said tiiat Houpt fassed her, handcuffed her and fondled her without Ix consent a room after to a cajl at The American Inn.