Herald and Review from Decatur, Illinois • Page 25

Central 0... Thursday, January 18, 1996 Decatur, Illinois Herald Review dq 4aBo ten fei' 11 -BaBSa'-'' j00- j. 1 1 t-J Pi i I -j -J, 1 X. i 4 1 4 lj-J I'll i hn I'll i A State senator says chemotherapy has not slowed her schedule. Now, more than ever, citizens of the 51st District need a strong voice to speak for them and the issues unique to Central Illinois, said Severns, chief budget negotiator for the Senate Democrats and chief minority spokeswoman on the Appropriations Committee.

By RON INGRAM Staff Writer Voters are worried about jobs, health care and crime, particularly those committed against children," Severns said. "They want the state to pay its bills on time, and they want elected officials to stop Herald Review Herb Slodounik STOCKlSiS UP: Shirley Briggs-Walls stocks the cooler of her snack shop in the Macon County Building on Wednesday. With the remodeling of the building, the shop will be closing. SUE Sevens Expresses confidence in future li Says she'll miss the people A DECATUR State Sen. Penny L.

Severns, D-Decatur, formally declared her candidacy Wednesday for re-election from the 51st District. "I had planned to do a press conference right around the filing period (in December)," Severns said. "But that didn't work out. Lately, it's been hard to arrange, so I just issued a news release." As Severns was planning her announcement last month, medical tests found the breast cancer she had been fighting for 17 months had spread to her lungs. She has been undergoing chemotherapy treatments and expresses confidence in her future.

"I've been fortunate with the advanced medication they give me I've been able to have a full schedule," Severns said. "Other than the days the chemo takes place, and for about 48 hours afterward when I feel knocked out, I've been feeling fine." Severns, who turns 44 on Sunday, is seeking her fourth term. She is unopposed for her party's nomination in the March 19 primary election as is her November general election opponent, Republican P. Duane Potter of I'm a people person. Burris, state Sen.

Penny Severns and state Reps. Julie Curry and N. Duane Noland. "I'm a people person," she said. "I've enjoyed contact with people from all walks of life.

I'll miss the people who came in early. They were a lot of fun." The traditional morning gathering after her 7:30 a.m. opening usually included a few judges, county elected officials and a sprinkling of attorneys. The freewheeling political banter that resulted from the mix of Republicans and Democrats earned the nickname "The Liars Club." Briggs-Walls proudly posted a notice on the bottom of her marquee that "The Liars Club meets here daily." Continued from A1 The county building shop is like a franchise in the restaurant business, Briggs-Walls said: "You own it, but you don't." A former medical transcriptionist in Chicago area hospitals, Briggs-Walls said she gave up that career in 1984 to enter DORS' seven-month training program for food operation managers. "There is both classroom and on-the-job training, and you work with other managers," Briggs-Walls said.

"Illinois has the best training program in the United States. We even train people from other states." Over the years, Briggs-Walls has met a wasting hard-earned tax dollars by giving rich, politically connected people special contracts or loan deals." Severns said she agrees with district voters that Illinois' growing Medicaid debt is out of control. While she has sponsored legislation to find new ways to pay off old bills using existing revenue, her party's minority status blocked those efforts. Prior to the governor's budget message she will introduce a bill calling on the state to use all of its new fiscal 1997 revenue growth, estimated at about $600 million, to repay its debts, Severns said. I've enjoyed contact with people from all walks of life.

I'll miss the people who came in early. They were a lot of Shirley Briggs-Walls number of notable figures, including an Illinois Supreme Court justice, former Illinois attorneys general Neil Hartigan and Roland Fatal Home Invasion Convicted tiller qrantei rint files to finger MEETS: Alleged accomplice waited in car, police say Ilf lit' "ill" Wl imItZ Continued from A1 way in with the gun and got past the screen door, but Tom Binder came to the aid of his wife. The couple pushed him outside, and then Mary Binder was able to get back inside. Tom Binder continued to struggle with Hartman. He pushed the barrel of the gun away from himself Herald ReviewHerb Slodounik SITE OF INVASION: The neighborhood of the West Packard Street home where a home invasion occurred Tuesday is an upper middle class area where such incidents are uncommon.

By SCOn PERRY Effingham Bureau Chief AND ALIA Stuart Heaton has been granted access to the fingerprints files of two men to compare with an unidentified palmprint found at the scene of a 1991 murder in Ramsey. Heaton is serving a life sentence after being convicted by a Fayette County jury of killing Krystal Lynn Naab. The 16-year-old girl bled to death in her rural Ramsey home after she was stabbed 81 times with sewing scissors. Heaton was linked to the murder by a spot of semen found on Naab's body and reports of a white pickup truck seen near Naab's home the day of the murder. Associate Judge Harold Pennock ruled Wednesday that access to the fingerprint files is contingent upon a subpoena being issued and notification of the men whose fingerprints are being sought.

It was unclear what action would be taken if the two men objected. The request was granted over the objection of special prosecutor Don Sheafor, who called the defense request "nothing more than a fishing expedition." Heaton's attorneys filed a motion seeking access to the fingerprints of two men who Heaton "has reason to may have committed the crime for which he was convicted." The defense wants to compare the prints with an unidentified palmprint found on a telephone receiver at the murder scene. It's being alleged that one of the men from whom the prints are being sought bragged about killing Naab. It's also alleged he had access to a white truck belonging to the other man from whom prints are being sought. But according to a report from Illinois State Police forensic scientist John Bunting, a test last year using the palmprint of one the men didn't reveal a match.

But Bunting noted the palmprints weren't very good. Sheafor said after Wednesday's hearing, "Stuart Heaton did this. There's no doubt in my mind." The defense is collecting evidence to support a petition seeking to have Heaton's first-degree murder conviction and life sentence vacated and a new trial held. The petition alleges new evidence will refute the accuracy of the DNA testing used to link Heaton to the crime and "strong evidence" that another person killed the girl. Sheafor has filed a motion to have the post-trial conviction petition dismissed.

That motion will be argued Feb. 26. A history of criminal activity but was never able to get control of the weapon. "At some point the gun went off," Ryan said. The family immediately called 911 and an ambulance.

Fichter identified Hartman's alleged accomplice in the attempted robbery as Michelle R. McLemore, 26, of the 1200 block of East Cantrell Street. He said charges are being prepared against her. Her bond was set at $50,000 on Wednesday morning. Ryan said McLemore was in a car, awaiting Hartman at the time of the botched robbery.

She left the area but returned later. Based on information from neighbors, police focused on her. -JA I A Mcfttsr Says charges are being prepared against alleged accomplice glary and a count of theft of more than $300 for crimes he committed at roughly the same time in Shelby County, said State's Attorney Tom Finks. The crimes were committed March 8, 1993 in a Shelby County home, Finks said. Pleaded guilty to theft of a firearm in Moultrie County, on terms that a count of residential burglary and a count of theft over $300 were dismissed, said Moultrie County State's Attorney Gail C.

Coil. DAVE MOORE Here's a wrapnip of Jayson E. Hartman's criminal record, up until he met his demise Tuesday in an attempted home invasion: Convicted of burglarizing two rural Douglas County residences on April 8, 1994, according to information from the Douglas County Circuit Clerk's office. Those burglaries occurred on March 13 and March 14, 1993 in unoccupied homes, the clerk said. A third count of burglary was dismissed in a plea agreement, the clerk said.

Convicted of a count of bur Ryan said he is uncertain of the ages of the Binders' children but believes they range from 8 to 12 or 13 years old. He said the attempted home invasion on Tuesday does not fit the profile of any other recent home invasions in Decatur. Most of the others have involved elderly victims. Douglas Co. cleanup progressing By BEBBSE PIERCE Mattoon Bureau Chief ianta act of violence not surprising to some By DAVE MOCKS Staff Writer wall, which received extensive smoke damage, and installing fire stop material around pipes and conduits to all three floors.

Two board committees law and order, and buildings and grounds also encouraged the board to beef up security in wake of the fire. Early indications pointed to an electrical failure near a small refrigerator. However, additional evidence recovered later at the scene led authorities to term the fire "suspicious." The evidence is being tested at the state crime lab in Springfield, while a task force continues to investigate the blaze. Chambers said a professional will examine the murals and oil painting in the courthouse, as well as the Civil War relics in the Grand Army of the Republic room, for smoke damage. Insurance will cover the costs of cleaning and repairing.

TUSCOLA The crew cleaning the Douglas County Courthouse promises they'll get rid of that charred smeil by Saturday, 11 days after a fire did $300,000 in damage to the three-story builds-Sheriff John Chambers provided an update on courthouse cleanup operations during Wednesday's meeting of the Douglas County Board. The local work force is a day or so behind schedule, Chambers said, "but they guarantee us it'll be odor-free as of Saturday." Chambers also told the board that the Danville architectural engineer called in to assess damages assures the county that the state's attorney's office, where the fire originated, remains structurally sound. He said the expert recommended replastering the north one burglarizing her daughter's car once. The addition is somewhat a loose-knit community, said nearby Packard Street resident Julie Newman. The neighborhood is "as good as you're going to get," said Newman, 48.

"It's one of the nicer neighborhoods. It's basically safe." Decatur Mayor Terry Howley lives about two blocks away from where the home invasion occurred. "It hasn't changed my view of the neighborhood," Howley said. "The guy who did it didn't live in the neighborhood." About two blocks and a day away, 22-year-old Jayson E. Hartman of Decatur tried to force his way into the home of a Decatur family at 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday. Hartman ultimately lost his confrontation and was shot dead with his own handgun. "Why would he pick that house?" Young asked. "Maybe because it's on the corner." When Young moved into the Sims Knolls subdivision, her house was on the corner. Things have been pretty peaceful in the neighborhood where houses average $140,000 in price except Young remembers some "We don't get much traffic," Howley said.

"I think anymore, you never know. You've got these people who are desperate who will go anyplace anytime" for money. Tuesday's random act of violence against the home in the 2300 block of West Packard Street wasn't the first. On April 25, 1994, different occupants of the home found a homemade explosive comprised of a Colt .45 bottle containing toilet bowl cleaner and metal in the home's mailbox. Firefighters exploded the bomb harmlessly.

DECATUR Some might be surprised with the attempted home invasion and resulting death that struck in a peaceful, far west side Decatur neighborhood Tuesday. But neighborhood residents weren't. "The way we're going now (in society), anything can happen, anywhere," said Willie Young, a 19-year resident of the Sims Knolls Estates subdivision on Packard Street. The addition starts at the corner of Linden and Packard streets and heads west until it runs into the woods..