Journal Gazette from Mattoon, Illinois • Page 1

I 1 1 1 ft' rKr i (It. fr 1 Today, mostly cloudy and breezy, a 40 percent chance of fain, high in the lower 70s. Complete forecast on B4. 1991 Mid-Illinois Newspapers Inc. Mattoon, Illinois 115th Year, No.

219 Good Morning Sru0 pDsiDH i 05 Photo by Doug Lawhead Wednesday night when a House-Senate committee met to write one budget for the department. Rep. Richard Durbin, D-Springfield, a member of the panel, said it fell victim to the usual horse trading that occurs when lawmakers craft a budget. "There was big resistance," said Durbi who said he supported the measure. "It was part of a larger agreement involving controversial issues." Small-town officials say their residents, especially business travelers, need access to O'Hare in order to catch connecting flights to other destinations.

Otherwise, it's tough to attract new businesses downstate, they complain. Raymond Rasenberger, an aviation lobbyist for several small Midwest cities, said the Transportation Department and American Airlines opposed the Simon measure. "DOT basically doesn't seem to be inclined to set aside slots. That's not a marketplace reaction, and they seem to be market-oriented," Rasenberger said. WASHINGTON (AP) In a defeat for several small Illinois communities, House and Senate budget negotiators killed a measure that would have opened O'Hare International Airport to more commuter flights.

"It's been a tough fight," Sen. Paul Simon, said Thursday. "This is a battle that pits small cities against powerful interests like the big airlines and the (Bush) administration. "We'll keep fighting until we get a fair solution," he said. Airports in Danville, Gales-burg and Charleston-Mattoon once offered service to O'Hare, but competition between big carriers at the airport has greatly restricted commuter landing slots.

Instead, flights have been shifted to Midway Airport on Chicago's Southwest Side. In the Senate version of the 1992 Transportation Department budget, Simon included a provision that said the agency must adopt a plan to make slots available at O'Hare. But the measure was dropped Fall fishing Oscar Brazzell fishes before a backdrop of fall colors Thursday at Lake Charleston. A possibility of rain today could dampen outdoor activities. Ex-Matitoon resident 1 0 years after prison Cumberland teachers may strike on Monday captured escape ana when Cross escaped," Watson said.

"He was really happy to hear about the latest news." Watson said Cross faces charges of escape, federal bank fraud, state bank fraud aoxTpossi-bly more. Cross served less than a year of a 10-year sentence for mail fraud before escaping from Terre Haute. "He has the potential to spend a long time incarcerated," Watson said. Coles County State's Attorney Nancy Owen was also surprised when she was told that Cross was in custody. "Gosh, I figured he was dead," she said.

"His name hasn't been mentioned for years." Owen said the night Cross escaped she was working on the George Dixon murder case. She and some others stopped at Perry's Chuckwagon for something to eat about 4 a.m. and heard over a police network that Cross had escaped. Cross was originally convicted of nine counts ofbank larceny and two counts of mail fraud. He used phony checks to get more than $58,000 from six area banks.

By KEN DICKSON StaffWriter NASHVILLE, Tenn. More than 10 years after his escape from a federal prison in Terre Haute, former Mattoon resident Al Cross Jr. is back in custody. Bob Watson, an assistant U.S. attorney in Nashville, said Cross, 48, was arrested Aug.

31 in Missouri for possession of a car reported stolen in West Virginia. "He was actually stopped on a routine traffic violation in Lawrence County (near Springfield, Watson said. "The officer ran a check on the tags and found out the car was stolen. Apparently, Cross had bought the car with a bad check." Watson said Cross was going by an alias and a finger print check determined he was Albert Hart, or Joseph Albert Hart. "That's how we knew Cross by the name of Hart," Watson said.

"Hart was indicted in April of 1990 on bank fraud charges in my district. He pleaded guilty in December 1990 to federal bank fraud charges and was also facing state charges in Tennessee in another district. He was scheduled to appear in our court on Feb. 21 for sentencing and on Feb. 19 for sentencing in district court.

He didn't show and ran, so a federal grand jury indicted him on fugitive charges under the name of Albert Hart." After Cross' arrest in Missouri, Watson said he decided to have the Federal Bureau of Investigation run a check on his fingerprints to see if he had any other aliases and outstanding warrants. "I figured if he was going by aliases, he might have other identities we didn't know about," Watson said. "The FBI determined his real identity as Al Cross and there were outstanding warrants because he had escaped from prison in 1981." Watson said he called the U.S. attorney's office in Terre Haute and asked if anyone there was interested in Al Cross Jr. "As it turned out, the assistant U.S.

attorney there was the same one that dealt with Cross in Central Illinois and later was the assistant U.S. attorney in Indi SUPPORT OUR COUNTRY Charleston) Theatre JLA Wood's 'Woolf Once again Tanya Wood has hit the bull's eye. Coles County's First Lady of Theatre has a gift for giving us superlative productions of out-of-the-ordinary Right now Wood is reach-1 ing new heights with a riveting production of Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wooif See Carl Lebovitz's review on A8. Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton joined the field of Democratic presidential candidates on Thursday.

SeeA11. mm Guns N' Roses, Barbra Streisand, Michael Jackson, Dire Straits, Bob Seger, U2 and Prince may make wildly different music. But they all are being counted on as saviors by the music industry. See D3. Kids pool money so teacher can jump YAKIMA, Wash.

(AP) Teacher Alex Cruz looked down at his fourth-grade class from a height of 17 stories. Some were screaming. Others were praying. Some were cutting deals. "Could I have your car if you die?" one yelled.

"Could I have your stereo?" another asked. "He's nuts," said 10-year-old Chris Richards. "Let's all say a prayer for Mr. Cruz," one anxious adult instructed. Cruz stood oblivious to their taunts.

Then, with arms outstretched, he jumped. He plunged head first toward the ground, until, at the last second, his 50 mph fall was stopped by the bungee cord wrapped around his ankles. He was lowered to the ground amid the cheers of the kids Wednesday. "I loved it!" said an exultant Cruz, 30, as he slapped high fives with the St. Paul's School students who had pooled their money while on a field trip to buy his fall.

sion that begins at 2 p.m. Sunday with federal mediator Don Hampton. "I think the fact a session is scheduled is positive," Blade said. This is the third time since 1985 that Cumberland teachers have filed an intent to strike. In 1985, the teachers were on strike for 11 days; in 1989, an agreement was reached before picket lines formed.

The board's last offer was to spread $175,000 in raises over two years. The union was seeking 175,000 a year. eginning teachers in the Cumberland district make about Continued on A3 By CARL WALWORTH StaffWriter TOLEDO A teachers' strike will start Monday in Cumberland schools unless negotiating teams reach an agreement on Sunday. The Cumberland Education Association on Thursday voted "overwhelmingly" to strike on Monday rather than continue working without a contract, said Robert Blade, president and chief negotiator for the CEA. There were 76 votes cast, Blade said.

Both Blade and Superintendent Joseph Trimmer expressed hope the two sides will reach agreement in a negotiating ses Participants in nuke facility hearings go site-seeing By CHARLA BRAUTIGAM StaffWriter MARTINSVILLE Dimension and perspective were added to maps of a proposed low-level nuclear waste facility Thursday as the siting commissioners and area residents took a tour of the site. Helium-filled balloons, resembling hot-air balloons from a distance, marked the boundary of the site, while red strobe flares marked 24 wells that were discussed frequently during the siting hearings. Signs marked remaining wells and bore holes used in the site characterization process. The tour, which lasted nearly Th hours, was organized by Chem-Nuclear, which would build and operate the facility, and the Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety. "It's important to give these people, the commission and everybody else, a view of what we're doing," said IDNS director Thomas Ortciger.

"You can't get a perspective of something this size," he added. "You have to show them something that relates. And this is the easiest way to do it." William Hall, a member of the three-member Low-Level Radioactive Waste Facility Siting Commission, said he appreciated the tour. "It's always helpful and, frankly, necessary to see the site," said Hall, a professor at the University of Illinois. "It helps put things in perspective." The tour also gave the Concerned Citizens for Clark County opposition group a chance to raise questions and pinpoint areas of concern.

Charles Norris, a research associate in geology at the University of Illinois who has been working with CCCC attorneys, surprised tour guides when he stepped into the North Fork of the Embarras River. With water up to his shins, Norris explained the sand beneath him was like quicksand, meaning the water was discharging rather than recharging. He added that IDNS studies show the opposite, meaning the underlying geography is incorrect and the site is not characterized correctly. Norris is also concerned that the vaults, used in storing the waste, could be tampered with by "kids that have nothing else todo." "I don't think building four three-story tall vaults is going to be protected by inadvertent intrusion if you don't have fences, guards or dogs," Norris said. He added someone could try digging into the vaults on a bet or dare.

All of Norris' concerns will be raised today as the commission will give each attorney 15 minutes to state the significance of what was seen during the tour. Testimony from Robert Anderson, vice president of engineering and technology at Chem-Nuclear, will follow. The hearing will begin at 8 a.m. in the Martinsville American Legion Hall. Critical care produces critically acclaimed cars factory specs; the hoses all bear the markings reminiscent of what was in place when th.e car rolled off the assembly line; and the engine growls with the voluminous horsepower present in the mid-size musclecars.

Davis' persistence to achieve perfection paid off recently during the Secretary of State's' Antique Auto and Sports Car Show in Springfield. The Road Runner placed first in the Special Merit classification. The elder Davis' 1950 Hudson placed a respectable second especially considering the car has been done and driven for 15 years. Larry Lawyer of Charleston received a third place Special Merit classification award with Continued on A3 By RUSSELL STARE StaffWriter hris Davis is a surgeon ofsorts. I I And like a doctor's VI waiting room, Davis' office is loaded to capacity with ailing patients.

The owner of Davis Restoration, he and his father, Gene, operate on cars Hudsons being their strong suit. But, the duo will try anything. That prowess to transform a rusting relic or a forgotten road rocket into a shining example of automobile history has most recently been performed on a 1969 Plymouth Road Runner owned by an enthusiast from Morton. The beep-beep horn is painted light purple according to ABOUT PEOPLE A2 CLASSIFIEDS C8-14 COMICS A10 ENTERTAINMENT A8-9 LIFESTYLE C1-3 LOCALSTATE A3. MARKETS A5 NATIONWORLD A2.A11 OPINIONS A4 RECORDS A8 RELIGION C6-7 SPORTS B1-3 SPOTLIGHT D1-20 WORLD A6 Chris Davis, left, next to 1 969 Road Runner, and his father, Photo by Russell Stare Gene; next to 1 950 Hudson;.