The Pantagraph from Bloomington, Illinois • Page 1

I TH1XD EDITION n. 40 pages, 4 sections Wednesday, Dec. 1, 1993 Bloomington-Normal, Illinois 50 m'-Vl AtWm 1 Hubble costing each of us 2 cents a week i 1 1 i i i Today, mostly cloudy, warmer, with 70 percent chance of showers tonight High upper 40s. Complete weather on back page. day flight, and three more are possible if problems arise with either Hubble or the shuttle.

The tab for the mission is $629 million: $251 million for Hubble parts, ground operations and related activities and $378 million for the shuttle trip. While just about everybody has criticized NASA for launching Hubble with an improperly ground mirror, few have complained about the basic premise of studying the universe from above Earth's distorting NASA began fueling the spaceship last night, despite a gloomy launch forecast Meteorologists gave only a 30 percent chance of favorable weather for the scheduled 3:57 a.m. CST liftoff. The telescope's future lies in eight gloved hands four spacewalkers who will go out in pairs to install corrective lenses, a new wide-field planetary camera, new solar panels, new gyroscopes, new computer and more. A record five spacewalks are planned during the 11- CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.

CAP) Feel free to put in your 2 cents worth once spacewalking astronauts start trying to fix the Hubble Space Telescope. That's what it costs each American citizen each week in taxes to operate and maintain the billion-dollar-plus observatory, which has bad eyesight, bad memory and a bad case of the jitters. Space shuttle Endeavour was due to blast off before dawn today on the multimillion-dollar mission, considered the most complex shuttle flight and biggest repair job in space ever. I I I II 1 1 I i 7 Bnu Bit Police probe junkyard Woodford County junkyard operator Charles D. Harmon faces criminal charges alleging he illegally sold car parts.

Meanwhile, police are checking titles for approximately 8,000 junk vehicles on his property. Story on A2 Candidacy announced Grace Bunn Lievens of Morton wants to challenge Republican incumbent Jay Ackerman of Morton in the November election for state representative of the 89th District, so yesterday she announced she will run in the March Democratic primary. Story on A2 Minister to challenge Michel choice A Jacksonville minister said he will give U.S. Rep. Robert, Michel's chosen successor, Michel's chief of staff Ray LaHood, a fight in the March Republican primary election.

The Rev. Dennis Higgins plans to announce his candidacy today. Story on A2 Lindbergh crash exhibit In 1926, Charles Lindbergh's mail plane crashed near Covell, about eight miles southwest of the Twin Cities. A new exhibit at the Prairie Aviation Museum helps bring back the memory. Story on A3 ALA.

GA. Gulf of SXFLORIDA Mexico orlandoA Intercession Cityi I Tampa- I Amtrak 0 derailment VMiamil 200 mites 200 km AP wJrli V'1- 2- Stuck truck failed to warn Amtrak train INTERCESSION CITY, Fla. CAP) An Amtrak passenger train smashed into a stuck tractor-trailer yesterday as frantic state troopers tried to flag it down. About 70 people were injured, but almost all had only minor cuts and bruises. The oversized truck, carrying a generator and accessories weighing 150 tons, got stuck at a train crossing several minutes before the crash, said Chris Gent a spokesman for the Kissimmee Utility Authority, which owns the generator.

A train dispatcher was notified and told utility officials that the train was not due at the crossing until 1 p.m., said Gent who witnessed the accident CSX Transportation, which owns the track, said it didn't receive any phone call to its emergency line before the accident The train struck the tractor-trailer at 12:45 p.m., Amtrak spokeswoman Sue Martin said. "The signal crossing arm came down on top of the cab. I didn't know what was happening Then I saw the train," Gent said. "Then it hit I heard the scraping and the screeching of the steel all along the track." Four of the eight cars on the Tampa-to-New York Silver Meteor derailed. The first sleeping car overturned when it jumped the tracks.

Workers had to pry off some windows to rescue trapped passengers. CSX spokeswoman Donna Roh-rer said no record was found of a phone call before the accident advising of a problem at the crossing. The first call to the CSX operation center in Jacksonville came from police at 12:46 p.m., notifying them of the accident she said. CSX notified Amtrak. About 70 of the 111 people, on the train were injured, but many were treated at the scene, state! police Lt Chuck Williams said.

A total of 58 people were taken to five hospitals, state police Lt Floyd Baker said. Four of the most seriously injured, including the truck were taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center. The truck: driver and the train's assistant engineer were in stable condition, i Baker said. A 10-year-old girl was expected Please see TRAIN, back page The PantagraphMAUREEN O'CONNOR 2nd tree goes up John Mount, left, and Tim Kulow, both of Paxton, helped decorate the town's 20-foot Christmas tree last night. Another tree in downtown Paxton was destroyed two days ago by a motorist, and a Paxton man has been charged with felony criminal damage to property and driving under the influence of alcohol.

Please see story on Page A3. State police review Volker case Paxton tree replaced The Christmas spirit sometimes centers around a tree and in Paxton, a community tree destroyed by a motorist was replaced, with all the holiday spirit possible. Story on A3 Board member remembered McLean County officials remembering County Board member Evan Evans, who died yesterday, described him as a gentleman. Story on A3 Record holder killed Robert "Bubbles" Hawkins, who set the Illinois State single-game scoring record for basketball with 58 points in 1973, was found shot to death in Detroit Story on B1 Rivalry renewed Almost 16 years ago, Jim Molinari scored a career-high 22 points for Illinois Wesleyan and Coach Dennie Bridges in a 92-81 loss to Bradley at Robertson Field House. Molinari, now the Bradley basketball coach, returns tonight as the Division III Titans and Division I Braves renew their rivalry.

Story on B1 Say hello to the Jaguars The NFL awarded an expansion franchise to Jacksonville, a city considered a long shot behind St Louis and Baltimore. The new team, named the Jaguars, and Charlotte's Carolina Panthers will begin play in 1995. Story on B1 Carrots for color Carrots add color and nutrition to holiday meals. And carrots go with any meat dish turkey, ham, chicken and beef. Recipes on C1 Diamond-Star ups production Diamond-Star Motors Corp.

will increase its production from 32,000 cars in the first quarter of this year to 42,000 in the first quarter of 1994. Story on D1 Bureau endorses enhanced milk Dairy foods made from hormone-enhanced milk will begin appearing on grovery shelves and it will have the endorsement of the Illinois Farm Bureau which is meeting in St Louis this week. Story on D1 Consumer optimism grows Consumer optimism about the economy and the job market improved sharply in November following an unexpectedly sour reading the month before, a widely followed survey said yesterday. Story on D1 Clinton nominee withdraws Stanley G. Tate, the real estate executive chosen by President Clinton to manage the savings and loan cleanup formally withdrew yesterday, after a Senate committee declined to consider his nomination.

Story on D1 Amtrak head announced Thomas M. Downs, New Jersey's transportation commissioner, was named yesterday to replace retiring W. Graham Claytor Jr. as head of Amtrak. Story on D1 case.

They do not agree with Logan County sheriffs police who believe Dale Volker, 34, shot the boys, Kyle, 4, and Shawn, 2, in a car in a rural portion of the county in June 1992 before turning the gun on himself. Sheriffs police speculate he was distraught over the breakup of his relationship with his then-wife, Nina Rankin. But the Volkers believe someone else may have shot all three. They point to what they see as inconsistencies in the evidence to support the murder suicide findings and Dale Volker's lack of suicidal tendencies. They believe sheriffs police failed to thoroughly in vestigate after jumping to the conclusion Dale Volker killed himself after killing his sons.

A coroner's jury ruled the boys' deaths homicides but was undecided about whether Dale Volker killed himself. Sheriff Robert Patterson has defended his department's investigation and thinks the Volkers are merely unwilling to accept the tragic circumstances. State police spokesman Mark McDonald confirmed the reopened investigation yesterday, and said he expects a Please see CASE, back page By SCOTT RICHARDSON Pantagraph staff State police will "take one more look" into the 1992 gun deaths of an Atlanta man and his two sons. The action led Darvin Volker of Clinton, father of the late Dale Volker, and Ruth Ann Doyle, mother of the boys, to halt an appeal of a ruling by a Logan County judge who refused to force authorities to renew the probe, said Maurice Barry of Bloomington, the family's attorney. Volker family members have long sought state police intervention in the Brady cheers as Clinton signs law WASHINGTON, D.C.

(AP) As James Brady turned in his wheelchair to watch, President Clinton signed into law the most sweeping handgun control bill in a quarter century yesterday. "Americans are finally fed up with the president declared. Cheers and applause erupted in the East Room as Clinton signed the long-fought bill before an audience of law enforcement officials, mayors, governors, members of Congress, and families who have lost relatives to gun violence. The new law will require a five-day waiting period and background check on handgun buyers when it takes effect in 90 days. It was named for Brady, the White House press secretary who was gravely wounded and left disabled in the 1981 assassination attempt against then-President Reagan: Reading slowly from notes as, his wife, Sarah, held a microphone for him, Brady called the ceremony "the end of unchecked madness and the commencement of a Please see BRADY, back page GTE bid to restructure rates under fire On the other hand, the average bill for residential customers would increase from $26.78 a month to $29.88 a month.

GTE said the change is important to bring services closer to actual costs. Larry Smith of GTE said a 1986 law allows companies to seek ICC permission to compete in offering local service. For example, one company is seeking to compete with Illinois Bell in offering local service to business customers in Chicago, he said. Eventually, Smith predicted, there will be competition in Bloomington-Normal Please see GTE, Page A7 "We're all on fixed incomes, and we're retired," Mrs. Ginzkey continued.

"Our interest rates on CDs are negligible now, and every time you turn around, you get an increase in a utility. Many elderly people won't be able to afford a phone." GTE filed new tariff proposals Aug. 2 with the Illinois Commerce Commission, proposing consolidation of GTE tariffs and tariffs of the former Contel company as a means of providing uniform rates to all of the company's Illinois customers. Based on estimates provided by GTE, a Bloomington-Normal business customer could see his monthly bill drop from $39.59 to $38.70. By RANDY GLEASON Pantagraph staff About 30 local residents, most of them senior citizens, turned out last night to protest a request by GTE to raise residential phone bills an average of 12 percent while lowering monthly costs to businesses.

"They're putting the burden on residential people and I think it should be on businesses," said Mary Ginzkey, speaking at a forum at the Law and Justice Center and sponsored by the Illinois Commerce Commission. The ICC must make a decision on GTE's request by July 2. Abby C10 Entertainment B6 Business D1 Focus C1 Classified D4 On the Record A8 Comics B8 Opinion A10 Quinn spices up race for secretary of state B1 Deaths C11 Sports. By DON THOMPSON Pantagraph political writer SPRINGFIELD State Treasurer Patrick taxpayers' best friend," Quinn, 44, has muted -his criticism of his fellow Democrats since winning the treasurer's office over their objections three years ago. While consumer-advocate Quinn made his name by successfully engineering a 1980 amendment that cut the size of the Illinois House by a third, candidate Quinn opted to seek the secretary of state's office in part because Dally: 835 Pick 4: 7584 drop out of the race, although neither she nor state Sen.

Denny Jacobs, D-Moline, could be reached for comment Should Quinn win his party's nomination, he would face incumbent Republican Secretary of State George Ryan in a contest of the consummate political insider vs. a self-styled political maverick. Although Quinn's campaign literature dubs him "the politicians' worst nightmare (and) the Call CITYLINE's School Lunch Menus line and find out what's on the menu today. Call 829-9000 Enter 4500 LA Quinn's announcement yesterday that he will run for secretary of state potentially sets up next year's most intriguing race. Quinn is better known, better organized and better financed than the other 'Democrats who have announced for the office.

Quinn said Kane County Coroner Mary Lou Kearns has agreed to Patrick Quinn The Pantograph Is printed partially on recycled paper. Copyright IMS The Pantograph Please see QUINN, back page.