Sioux City Journal from Sioux City, Iowa • 1

1 1 iT" Briar Cliff wins I A souper buffet 1 8th-ranked Lady Chargers make Buena Vista 1 0th straight victim, 75-58 Soup can be a meal in a bowl or a casual way to entertain friends on chilly January nights pageEl City edition .1 chief soyoh in murd typns By Harvey M. Sanford Journal staff writer TEKAMAH, Neb. The Lyons chief of police is wanted for murder in the death of a woman whose naked, bullet-riddled body was found Dec. 27 in the next county north. Burt County Judge F.A.

Gossett III issued a warrant Tuesday noon for the arrest of Gregory J. Webb, 36, Lyons police chief since 1977, in connection with the murder of Anna M. Anton, 34, a native of Milford, Iowa. Anton's body was found in a farm field on Indian reservation land three miles north of Walthill, in Thurston County. She had been seen last on Dec.

15. Clarence "Kim" Mock of Tekamah, Burt County attorney, asked that the warrant for arrest be issued, saying there was evidence sufficient to charge Webb with murder in the first degree. Webb has not been back at his police chief's post since Dec. 29, when he was last seen. Mock said Webb and Anton were residents of the same apartment building, a duplex, in Lyons.

Mock also said scientific and chemical tests conducted in both Webb's and Anton's apartments yielded the evidence. Mock said Anton came to Lyons last October. He also said Webb's divorce from his wife had become final last summer. The Nebraska Highway Patrol, with Trooper Jerry Krieger of South Sioux City in charge, conducted the investigation in cooperation with Burt County Sheriff Leonard Canar-sky and Thurston County Sheriff Clyde Storie. "We are still pursuing other avenues in the case," Mock said Tuesday.

"We will welcome any information persons can give on the present whereabouts of Webb, and on his movements from Dec. 15 until downstairs apartment and her accused killer, Police Chief Greg Webb, lived upstairs. (Staff photo by Gary Anderson) Authorities remain mum on whether Anna Anton was murdered in this pink, two-story apartment house in Lyons, Neb. Anton lived in the New city budget to cut property taxes Victim, chief only ByMarkReinders Journal staff writer LYONS, Neb. Friends and neighbors of murder victim Anna Anton claim no romantic link between Anton and her accused killer, Police Chief Gregory J.

Webb. They, like most of the residents of this Burt County community, remain puzzled about the motive for Anton's death and the extent of Webb's involvement. Right now, the only concrete ties between Anton and Webb are simply me two-story house they rented and Webb's official in vestigation into An-ton's disappearance. Webb, a native of Sioux lived in the upstairs apartment while Anton; who moved to Lyons last fall from the Iowa Great Lakes region, lived downstairs. Both Mayor Piper lived alone, except for Anton's three dogs.

Neighbors first suspected something was amiss Dec. 15 when they didn't see Anton. They looked to the police chief for help. "We contacted Greg about filing a missing persons report on Dec. 17 and he told us to wait a few more days to see if she.

showed up. The report was finally filed Dec. 23," neighbor Shirley Edgecomb said Tuesday. Edgecomb said she and Webb, who had a key to Anton's apartment, also searched the woman's residence a few days after Anton disappeared to see if they could find any. clues to her whereabouts.

Crippled in an auto accident some 10 years ago, Anthon was limited in her ability to get around and normally walked with the assistance of a cane. Anton was unemployed and planned to attend classes at a nearby community college in the future. During the search of her apartment, Webb reported to Edgecomb that Anton's cane and coat were missing. "I never looked for them myself. He told me they were gone and what reason did I have to doubt him?" Edgecomb said.

The Edgecombs and other nearby neighbors, Don and Sandy Francis, said there were no indications Webb and Anton were involved romantically. Apparently, Webb still dated the woman who previously had lived in Anton's apartment while Anton reportedly had a boyfriend in Colorado. They each recently had been divorced. Shirley and Ray Edgecomb describe Anton as a religious woman and if there was friction between Webb and Anton, some residents said, it might have been linked to Webb's "morals." "She was upset about that. Greg's girlfriend sometimes stayed there overnight and that bothered Anna, but I don't think it ever could have been tied to what happened," a neighbor said.

Ironically, it also appears that Webb was responsible for Anton moving to Lyons last year, thanks to a mutual friend. "Anna told me that a friend of hers had told her Greg was a good man and that Lyons was a safe, friendly place to live so she decided to move here," Sandy Francis said. Webb's supervisor for most of his years in office was former Mayor "Spike" Going who describes the police chief as a "dedicated policeman who never had any trouble. Going said, "I never had a complaint. He is a fair man and a good officer.

If you stepped out of line, he'd nail you, but he was respected in the community. "I don't think the man is guilty myself. Not at all. I just wish we could find out." One of the last persons to see Webb in the area was Mayor Mary Piper when Webb helped direct traffic for a local funeral Dec. 30.

He hasn't been seen since, but, Piper said, Webb had indicated he was considering taking some vacation time. now he is scheduled to give a -report at tonight's (Tuesday's) council meeting," Pipr said. "We aren't making any decisions about the police department's future until we get some legal advice. As far as I'm concerned, he's still chief of police." neighbors By Bob Gunsolley Journal staff writer The new 1 percent local option sales tax now being collected in Sioux City will start paying off with a 12.9 percent decrease in the city property tax rate in the next fiscal year, according to the new 1987-1988 budget proposal which has been submitted to the City Council. But it may be necessary to raise water, sewer and parking rates because of problems in a couple of those funds and a new project, according to Acting City Manager William Amundson's budget message.

The council will start reviewing the budget next week. The property tax rate decrease will be made possible despite a 6.4 percent increase in the city's operating budget because of $4.8 million in ex will probably have to go up again in fiscal 1989, but not to the same level being levied in the current budget, Amundson said in his message. The new budget, drafted mostly after the departure of former City Manager J.R. Castner, contains few operating changes, it was explained. Personnel increases in some departments will be offset by decreases in others so that the total number of full-time city positions will remain at 732.

The city property tax rate will decrease from $17.23 per $1,000 dollars in assessed valuation this year to $15 next year. But commercial and industrial tax bills will decrease more than residential tax bills because of different valuation factors in the two classes of property. The owner of a $40,000 residential 1977 photo Police Chief Gregory Webb now. We have no idea of where he might be at this time, but we sure would like to know. We would also like to have any information anyone might have about the movements of Anna Anton since last October." Anton was described as 5 feet 3 inches tall, approximately 110 pounds, with shoulder length bleached blonde hair.

Memorial services for Anton were conducted Friday in Spencer, Iowa. Her cremated body was entombed in a Spencer mausoleum. She was a graduate of Spencer High School, and had attended Estherville Junior College. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church at Spirit Lake, Iowa.

Sheriff Canarsky described Webb as 6 feet 6 inches tall, weighing 220 to SEE AUTHORITIES continued on page A10 estimated sales tax collections. A study of water and sewer revenue needs is getting under way, so Amundson made no recommendation on how much those rates should be increased. But he said the water fund isn't generating enough to finance needed capital improvements, the sewer fund will need more money for odor control at the wastewater treatment plant and the parking fund has never been able to set aside enough to finance replacement of facilities. Of the $4.8 million in sales tax revenue to be received next year, $2.8 million will be used to reduce the property tax levy for debt service, $1.4 million will replace bond financing on a number of projects and $480,000 will be used for economic development. concerns hospitalization came a preview o4t the challenges Reagan will confront during his final two years in office.

First, a multibillion-dollar measure to clean up the nation's waterways was placed on the Senate's legislative calendar. It is virtually identical to legislation Reagan killed with a pocket veto last year. Then, following several hours of debate and explanation, the Senate voted 88-4 to adopt a resolution creating an 11-member select committee to investigate the diversion of Iranian arms sales profits to Nicaraguan Contra rebels. A resolution to create a similar 15-member investigative panel in the House was on that chamber's calendar for today. Journal WANT ADS St CIaai1icHon lor lull details.

Phom 279-5092 LONG DISTANCE CALL TOLL FREE In Iowa: 1400-352-4600 From adjoining aulas: 1-M0-U1-O920 fimm property will see a $43 decrease in the city portion of his tax bill next year, while the owner of a $40,000 business will get a $89 reduction. Even though property taxes may have to be increased again the following year, partly due to loss of the temporary sales tax bonus and partly to an increase in payments on the new civic center project, the long-term outlook is for property taxes to decline again as proceeds from the sales tax and the newly-increased hotel-motel tax increase over the years, the budget message said. Projections indicate that the the owner of the $40,000 home who will get a $43 city property tax cut next year, will get a $36 increase in fiscal 1989, a $22 increase in fiscal 1990; a $54 decrease in fiscal 1991 and a $20 decrease in fiscal 1992, based on Sen. John C. Stennis, 85, received the gavel for his new post of president pro tern of the Senate from his predecessor, Sen.

Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, 84, the chamber's senior Republican. Across the Capitol, the House of Representatives elected Rep. Jim Wright, D-Texas, as its 48th speaker. He will oversee a 258-177 Democratic majority. Wright, who had been House majority leader, savored his new position, saying it "is a treasure more precious than any material possession and an honor more sublime than royalty." Soon after the parliamentary preliminaries in the Senate including a resolution wishing President Reagan well during his current New Congress, old 'Displaced' Grandy takes House oath pected sales tax revenue through June 30, 1988.

Most of those collections have been dedicated to property tax relief. The proposed operating budget of $48.5 million is up from $45.6 million this year, with most of that increase representing non-controllable expenditures such as debt service and a change in accounting. Controllable expenditures are up only 1.3 percent. The total proposed budget of $73 million, including both operating expenditures and capital costs, is down from the current $73.4 million. The city started collecting the local option sales tax the first of this year, so the budget for the fiscal year starting next July 1 will benefit from five quarters of tax collections rather than the 12 months of collections that will be received in succeeding years.

That means that property taxes looked at the figures, but the idea of paying farmers not to grow more than they can sell is a good idea," Grandy said. But he did have some reservations. "It's not going to be good if the subsidies are so small that you're basically sending people out of agriculture. The idea is to reduce the number of commodities, not the number of farmers," he said. Grandy's office furniture may not be in place yet, but he is certain of one place he wants to sit -the House Agriculture Committee.

"I want Agriculture absolutely. I've been lobbying since two days after winning the election," Gran-dysaid. If his committee assignment wish should be granted, Grandy said he would probably not be assigned to any other House committees, because the Ag Committee is his first choice. He said he isn't worried about the troubles swirling around the Reagan presidency at this point, unless Iran-Contra controversy gets in the way of solving the problems of rural America. "I'm not as concerned with the Republican agenda as much as the Iowa agenda.

There are a lot of new rural congressmen who want to revitalize rural America and it's a very bipartisan campaign," Grandy said. "I just don't want to see politics get in front of policy." WASHINGTON (AP) The 100th Congress, firmly in Democratic control, convened Tuesday amid traditional ceremonies and the usual bickering to face familiar issues ranging from trade to cleaning up the environment and a new concern the Iran-Contra connection. "I'm ready, I'm eager and we've got work to do," an upbeat Sen. Robert C. Byrd, told reporters moments before by virtue of a 55-45 Democratic edge he reclaimed his position as majority leader after six years of Republican control of the chamber.

Sen. Bob Dole, who was trading places with Byrd and becoming minority leader, said, somewhat wryly, it would be "a new and different Senate." Former Nebraska legislative candidate The Rev. Monica Bauer made her pitch this week to act as a mediator in the IBP labor dispute. Her concern; may be sincere, but the resulting headlines certainly won't hurt any future political plans she might have, either. Illiiiiil 1 111 Mm 1 1 fi'llf iilTi DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -Former television actor Fred Grandy Tuesday officially became a full-fledged U.S.

representative, sworn in with a host of other freshmen representatives, including Rep. David Nagle, D-Iowa, by House Speaker Jim Wright of Texas. "There are a lot of old pros from Iowa around. Tom Tauke has been very helpful on committees and Jim Lightfoot has been letting me use his office, while I wander around like a displaced person," Grandy, who became famous as ship's purser Gopher Smith on the television program "Love Boat," said in a telephone interview Tuesday. Grandy, a Republican, still has not been able to move into his Washington office.

On Tuesday, he was waiting for telephones that work and the other items deemed essential for a congressman. "I haven't seen the proposed budget yet. I don't think they've figured out where to send it," he said. However, he said he has read newspaper reports about the president's trillion-dollar budget proposal. One of the administration's proposals is to "decouple" commodity subsidy payments from production, an idea that would have quite an impact on Grandy's 6th district in Northwest Iowa.

"It's a possibility. I haven't 6 SECTIONS 48 PAGES Abby C3 Ann Landers C4 Boyd C3 Bridge C4 Classified Ads C6-9 Comics C3.4 Editorials A4 Horoscope C3 Food E1-8 Markets C5 Movies C1 Obituaries C2 Puzzle C4 Sports B1-4 TV Listings C1 Weather A2.