Herald and Review from Decatur, Illinois • Page 6

the news earcl site J7 planned 4 -V -v A 'ft I liiillii v- reitegasaai sUfsiiSw 0 Photo by Herb Slodounik '30s. Durbin braved the elements Friday afternoon from his open-air perch and appeared none the worse for wear on his westerly trip down West Pershing Road. There were already three in the front seat of the Chevrolet El Camino so Darryl Durbin opted for the rumble seat. For the uninformed, a rumble seat was quite common in coupes and roadsters in the 1920s and early WGM's light Court' unaffected by A EM asked us to black out 'Night United Video will substitute "Abbott and Costello" for "Cheers" Monday through Saturday at 6 p.m., when "Cheers" can also be seen on WRSP Springfield. Chicago-area viewers of WGN will continue to see "Cheers." Bill Evans, general manager of WRSP, said the way "Night Court" contracts were written, "no one in the country has exclusivity." Evans said his company will be sending out letters on "Cheers." Other WGN programs affected by the rules are "Fantasy Island," "WKRP in Cincinnati," "The Jef-fersons," "The Dukes of Haz-zard," "Good Times" "Roller Games" and "Magnum P.I." FCC rule Star Cable adds Comedy, Discovery Star Cablevision viewers in Niantic, Harristown, Lincoln, Mount Auburn and Illiopolis have two more viewing choices The Comedy Channel and The Discovery Channel.

The Comedy Channel, a basic cable choice owned by Time-Warner's HBO division, was launched nationwide Dec. 15. It features old movies, concert comedy and TV comedy re-runs. Star Cable general manager Lisa Washa said The Comedy Channel appeals more to younger "We will be happy to comply with the rules if any cable system While several WGN broadcasts will be affected by syndicated exclusivity rules going into effect Jan. 1, the 6:30 p.m.

re-runs of "Night Court" are not among them, according to Karen Smith, superviser of program operations for United Video. United Video is the Chicago station's link to cable systems across the nation. On Jan. 1, Federal Communications Commission rules permit broadcast stations to buy exclusive rights to broadcast syndicated re-runs in their market areas. But Smith says United Video has seen no valid contract for exclusive rights to "Night Court," the popular NBC series starring Harry Anderson and John Larro-quette.

2)15 By JEFFREY RAYMOND Mattoon Bureau Chief EC SPRINGFIELD (AP) Illinois will resume work on choosing a site for a low-level nuclear waste dump despite a state Senate reso-, lution calling for a halt so a com- mittee can investigate the process. Meanwhile, Gov. James R. Thompson took steps Friday to ensure Illinois can continue to use dump sites in Nevada, Washington and South Carolina until a state facility is built. Terry Lash, state nuclear safety director, said in a letter sent Friday to Sen.

Jerome Joyce, D-Reddick, that siting procedures would resume. Joyce is chairman of the Senate Executive Committee that plans to investigate whether the dump would pose health or safety threats. Lash has been accused of deliberately misleading state lawmakers and others about possible environmental hazards involved in locating the dump near Martinsville in Clark County or Geff in Wayne County. Some Democrats, including Senate President Philip Rock, D-Oak Park, asked that Lash be fired last fall, but Gov. Thompson has defended Lash.

In his letter to Joyce, Lash wrote that postponing the hearings, originally scheduled for this month, until March would play havoc with the state Department of Nuclear Safety's timetable. "Critical siting activities cannot be postponed this long without running the risk of not having a complete license application submitted by Jan. 1, 1992, as required by the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act, and missing the Jan. 1, 1993, federal mandate to have the capability for safely managing low-level radioactive waste by that date," Lash wrote. "I therefore must resume the tasks that I am required by law to perform, including work on facility licensure and final site selection." No one answered the phone at Joyce's office or home Friday to respond to Lash's letter.

The dump, proposed as a joint venture with Kentucky, would take low-level nuclear waste such as clothing, glassware and paper from both states. It would not store highly radioactive materials such as used nuclear-plant fuel rods. Group hails lawmakers Central Illinois legislators are among 39 statewide who have been honored with the 1989 "Friends of Agriculture" designation by Activator, the political involvement fund of the Illinois Farm Bureau. Lawmakers receiving the designation are eligible to receive in-kind assistance from Activator during 1990 campaigns for re-election. No cash is awarded.

To be eligible for a Friend of Agriculture designation, a legislator must be seeking re-election and have voted with the Farm Bureau's position on major issues at least 65 percent of the time during the 1989 session of the Illinois Gen-; eral Assembly. Once those criteria are met, the designation must be granted by a two-thirds vote of the legislative district Activator trustee committee, which is made up of local Illinois Farm Bureau leaders. Area legislators honored with the "Friend of Agriculture" desig-' nation include Sens. John Mait-land, R-Bloomington; and Harry "Babe" Woodyard, R-Chrisman; Reps. Tom Robert Olson, R-Lincoln; Gary Hannig, D-Mount Olive; Michael Tate, R-Decatur; Tim Johnson, R-Urbana; William Black, R-Dan-ville; and Ron Stephens, R-Collins-ville.

Stock Up! 2 Litre Crash claims 1 OLNEY A 52-year-old Law-renceville man died as the result of a truck-car accident in Friday afternoon. Charles W. Price was pronounced dead at Richland Memorial Hospital following the wreck which occurred on U.S. 50 at Ste. Marie Road at 4:10 p.m.

Friday. Price and two passengers were eastbound on U.S. 50 in a passenger car when a truck-tractor driven by Jody M. Hildeber-and, 21, of Louisville, ran through an intersection and struck the Price vehicle on the driver side. Hildeberand was ticketed for reckless driving and brakes beyond the readjustment limit.

Price's passengers, Jack Pad-dick, 51, of Sumner, and Randy Smith, 26, of Sumner were taken to Richland Memorial Hospital. Paddick was treated and released. Smith was in satisfactory condition Friday evening. Wreck hospitalizes 1 A three-car wreck Friday morning left one motorists hospitalized. Lisa Zilz, 22, of Decatur, is in stable condition in St.

Mary's Hospital after the wreck that occurred about 1 1:49 a.m. at the intersection of Route 48 and Mound Road. According to police reports, Zilz was attempting a left turn, but her vision was blocked by a car in an opposite turn lane. Her car first collided with a van driven by Michael Scott, 31, of Overland Park, Kan. Zilz's car then collided and ran atop a car driven by Jeffrey J.

Cobstill, 43, of Argenta. Zilz was ticketed for failure to yield when turning left. Cobstill and his passenger, Marcella Cobstill, 43, were treated and released at St. Mary's Hospital. Scott did not require hospital treatment.

Woman found dead An elderly Decatur woman was found dead in her home shortly before 4:30 p.m. Friday. Police said they were summoned to the home of Pauline A. Roemelin, in the 800 Block East William St. by neighbors concerned because they had not seen her for several days.

Police found Roemelin on the kitchen floor. Although the house was messy, they found no evidence of forcible entry. "We have no reason to believe it's anything other than a natural death," said Detective Sgt. Roy Glick. No autopsy is scheduled, Deputy Coroner Maurice Doyle said.

Doyle said authorities have beert able to find little information about Roemelin. They believe she is about 75 years old. No next of kin have been located. Driver injured A 25-year-old Decatur man remained hospitalized Friday following an accident in the 2100 Block N. Charles St.

Lance Collins Jr. of 1 65 Lori-lyn Drive was in fair condition in Decatur Memorial Hospital. was driving a car northbound on Charles at 10:20 p.m. Thursday when he lost control hitting a patch of snow. The car fishtailed and slid sideways before the driver's side struck a tree, according to a Decatur police report.

Collins was ticketed for driving too fast for conditions and not wearing a seat belt. Statues stolen Miniature statues valued at $2,500 were reported stolen Friday from a Decatur residence. Christy Tabor and Duane S. Jones of the 2200 Block E. Main St.

reported 400 painted and un-painted dragons and demons statues were stolen, along with various other items. Entry was apparently gained through a back door, police said. Equipment stolen A pressure washing unit valued at $2,500 and a tool cabinet and tools worth $5,000 have been reported stolen from Container 2200 N. Woodford St. The items reportedly were taken between Tuesday and Thursday, according to a Decatur police report.

Prosecutor relieved murder case over that it upheld Grabbe's conviction. That panel threw out a 1985 conviction on legal grounds and ordered a retrial. "I can't say we're surprised" at the panel's ruling, Lewis said. "I think Judge Stiegmann handled this case about as well as I've ever seen." Grabbe's attorney, Frederick F. Cohn of Chicago, said he had not seen the court's ruling and would not comment on it.

Lewis said he expected Grabbe to appeal the case again, this time to the state Supreme Court. But because the appellate court's decision was so thorough, he added, "I don't think they will accept (an appeal)." Conn's appeal cited 16 alleged errors in the trial. Lewis called Cohn's approach viewers. But she hopes its addition to Star's lineup is balanced by the Discovery Channel, which Star subscribers began getting Nov. 15.

Discovery focuses on nature, science and history programs that appeal to an older audience, she said. The additions resulted in rearrangement of Star's lineup with several channels changing numbers. Program cards were still being mailed on Friday to subscribers in some of the 50 down-state towns the system serves, Washa said. has information to the contrary," she said. "But so far no one has too great.

CLAIM: The prosecution gave photocopies of Charlotte Grabbe's handwritten notes to a local newspaper which printed them the evening before the jury's deliberation. The notes included information that Charlotte believed her husband was going to kill her information the judge withheld from the jury Response: The judge had repeatedly warned the jury not to read newspaper accounts of the case, and after the publication of the notes there was no request for a questioning of the jury to determine if any jurors had disregarded the warnings. The appellate court said the issue was in effect "You address a something Grabbe years, and twice Clark County conviction. Lewis the media left the "It's known lakes, positive "You the place don't have any one strong point so you lot of issues and hope the court finds to agree with," Lewis said. went to trial four times in five twice for Charlotte Grabbe's murder for attempting to escape from the Jail in the weeks after his first thinks the emotions of the trials and coverage that each received have community drained.

not something you want your county for," he said, citing Clark County's parks and school districts among its attributes. don't want your county to be known as where Fred Grabbe killed his wife." MARSHALL Fred Grabbe's prosecutor is glad the case is behind him, and expects it to stay that way. Clark County State's Attorney David Lewis said Friday the highly publicized murder case, which included ample doses of sex, violence, death and intrigue, was unlike almost any other trial he typically handles. "I don't think it's the kind of case you'll ever forget," Lewis said. The Marshall farmer was found guilty last summer of murdering his estranged wife, Charlotte Grabbe, in 1981.

Judge Robert Steig-mann of Champaign sentenced Grabbe to 75 years in prison. A state appellate court announced Friday Court outlines responses to reasons By ANTHONY MAN Springfield Bureau Chief SPRINGFIELD An opinion released Friday by the 4th District Appellate Court detailed all the reasons why Fred Grabbe said his conviction for murdering his wife should be reversed. Here are some of the arguments Grabbe made and the response from the court: CLAIM: The trial court wrongly denied his right to present a defense and confront a witness by ruling that he could not present evidence that witness Vicki McCalister might have been motivated by a desire to avoid being arrested for the illegal sale of drugs. Response: The trial court "was well within its discretion in denying admission of the evidence" because it was so "weak." CLAIM: The trial court improperly denied his request to order the state to disclose McCalister's address. Response: At the first trial, there was evidence of threats made by Grabbe to McCalister and testimony that he had tried to choke her.

"While defendant was incarcerated and thus could not, himself, injure McCalister, he would have incentive to arrange for others to do so," the opinion said, adding that the trial court-did not abuse its discretion when it found the risk of disclosure was Grabbe chronology for appeal waived. CLAIM: That there should have been more opportunity to demonstrate a witness was biased against him because of a grudge. Judy Lark testified that shortly after Charlotte's disappearance, her husband had asked Grabbe "if he had ground Charlotte up and fed her to the hogs. She said defendant replied that if hec husband did not watch what he said, he would 'end up just like the appellate court said. Response: The state said the defendant was permitted ample opportunity to demonstrate that Lark might be biased, and the court agreed.

Holiday 12 $2.59 24 Pk. 1 1 Nov. 30, 1987: Retrial on escape charges begins. Dec. 10, 1987: Clark County jury declares Grabbe innocent of attempted escape.

Feb. 28, 1988: Jeff Grabbe, Fred's son, last speaks by phone with his wife. Jeff is scheduled to testify against his father in murder retrial. March 21, 1988: Jeff Grabbe's body discovered wrapped in chains anmd weighted down in ocean near Seal Beach, Calif. The body remains unidentified for two months.

March 28, 1988: Grabbe's retrial for murder begins. April 12, 1988: Clark County jury finds Grabbe guilty of murder. May 24, 1988: Jeff Grabbe's body identified. Upon hearing news reports of his son's death, Grabbe becomes distraught. Aug.

2, 1988: Grabbe sentenced by Judge Robert J. Steigmann to 75 years in prison. Grabbe's attorney announces intention to file appeal. Dec, 29, 1989: Appellate court upholds July 24, 1981: Charlotte Grabbe, Fred Grabbe's wife, believed killed. A witness will later say Grabbe strangled Charlotte, sodomized her, pumped her body full of grease and burned it for two days before dumping the remains in the Wabash River.

No body was ever found. June 3, 1985: Grabbe's murder trial begins. June 25, 1985: Vermilion County jury convicts Grabbe. July 7, 1985: Attempted jailbreak fails to free Grabbe. Barbara Graham, then a girlfriend of Grabbe's, later sentenced to 16 years in prison for the attempt, which left a deputy wounded.

Sept. 13, 1985: Judge Paul C. Komada sentences Grabbe to life in prison for Charlotte's murder Sept. 17; 1986: Appellate court overturns murder conviction, citing errors in admission of evidence and inadequate jury instructions. Sept.

30, 1987: Grabbe's attempted escape trial begins. Oct. 7, 1987: Mistrial declared when Grabbe tells jury key witness Barbara Graham failed a lie detector test. NORTH 2809 N. Main St.

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