Journal Gazette du lieu suivant : Mattoon, Illinois • Page 7

Mid-Illinois Newspapers Saturday January 9, 1999 A7 State Inauguration of governor involves more than oath from ball to marching bands people are expected to attend the event, That helps pay other inaugural costs, which are expected to run about $500,000. Jam Productions of Chicago said it has spent hundreds of man-hours preparing for the dinner, inaugural ceremony and ball. They've already set up more than 16 speakers and mood lighting for Charles' concert, and two semi-trucks worth of blue and gold decorations for all three events were unloaded Friday, Ryan will be sworn in by Illinois Chief Justice Charles Freeman. U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert and Cardinal Francis George of Chicago will both speak.

SPRINGFIELD (AP) The Illinois Constitution simply lists a 40-word oath of office George Ryan must take to become governor. It says nothing about teen singers, drill teams or partying until midnight. But that hasn't kept the official inaugural from growing to include two bands, a chorus, a drill team and a string of singers. Not to mention the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Ryan and five other constitutional officers are to be sworn in Monday. Afterward, visitors to the Inaugural Ball can grab dessert from mini-eclairs to sliced fruit with yogurt dip to chocolate covered strawberries and then wash it down with 45 AP Photo 1 APPhoto George Ryan takes a phone call as he cleans out his desk in the Thompson Center in Chicago. More than 5,600 people are ex- cases of hard liquor, 400 cases ofpected to pack Prairie Capital beer, 120 cases of soda and 25 Convention Center. Ryan will cases of wine. fet.

The inaugural events are one of the fare times that the entire state can come together to cele-brate minors," Ryan said in statement. "We have a lot to be proud of in this state and the inaugural events will reflect the strength of our people and our unique contribution to America." Chicago, with 150 members from 6 to 20 years old. Vocalists from a former member of the "Showboat" cast to 14-year-old Calii Palmer of Addison will be singing patriotic songs. It all comes to an end Monday night when anyone with $30 for a ticket can hear the Gentlemen of Leisure and the Dixieland Band and dive into that dessert buf- speak from the 60-by-48 foot stage behind a lectern affixed with the gold seal of the state of Illinois. The entertainment includes the Kankakee High School Band (Ryan's hometown is Kankakee), the Army and Air Force National Guard Band, the Peoria Civic Chorale and the award-winning South Shore Drill Team of Sorry, it's a cash bar.

Drinks are included in the ticket price for an invitation-only dinner on Sunday night, and music legend Ray Charles will provide the entertainment with a concert amid the ice sculptures and gardenia centerpieces. But tickets don'tcome cheap $1,000 each. More than 1,200 Man gets life in prison for injecting son with HTV House Speaker Dennis Hasten is greeted by Elgin High School Student Body President Tony Chan Friday. 'Judicious, fair' trial urged by new speaker CHICAGO (AP) In his first trip home since being eleqted U.S. House speaker, Dennis Hastert said the Clinton impeachment trial should be conducted "judiciously and fairly" and include testimony from witnesses.

"I think they ought to testify that's how every other trial takes place," the Yorkville Republican said after an Elgin news conference.1 It was one of three stops Friday for Hastert, who was elected speaker of the House on Wednesday. On his first trip home, he brought with him a $2.5 million federal grant to combat drugs in schools. The first stop was in Chicago, where he appeared at a joint news conference with Mayor Richard M. Daley and other Democratic officials. Hastert was asked about friction between the House and Senate over how to proceed with the trial.

He said House members can't just "butt out" of the Senate proceedings because they are the impeachment prosecutors. "You have to have the prosecution make its case and you have to have the president make his case and you have to do it as judiciously and fairly as possible that's the spotlight in the Senate," Hastert said.The House has discharged its duty, and we're going to go on from there," Hastert said. With reporters shouting other questions on the subject of impeachment, Daley said: "I would like to end the press conference." And that was it. Hastert then sped on to similar news conferences in Elgin and Aurora communities that share the grant money with Chicago public schools. On his return from Washington bearing federal largesse, the "newly minted House speaker was praised by numerous Democratic officials on hand as someone who is known for building bipartisan coalitions.

ST. CHARLES, Mo. (AP) An Illinois man who injected his son with the AIDS virus to avoid paying child support was sentenced Friday to life in prison. Brian Stewart, 32, of Columbia, 111., stared straight ahead as Judge Ellsworth Cundiff handed down the maximum sentence for first-degree assault. The judge said he wished the sentence could have been stronger.

If the boy dies, Stewart could be retried for murder, officials said. "My thought is injecting a child with the HIV virus really puts you in the same category as the worst war criminal," Cundiff said. "You have reached new The defense contended the boy could have contracted the virus a number of other ways. However, the boy had never had a blood transfusion, and a medical exam found no evidence of sexual abuse. Before the sentencing, the boy's mother identified only as Jennifer, read lengthy, tearful statements from her 9-year-old daughter, her son and herself.

"I feel mad," she quoted the boy as saying. "I think he shouldn't ever be out of jail. He shouldn't have done this. Why did he do such a bad thing to me?" Jennifer said the life sentence was little consolation for the horror her family had been put through. "Who really has been given a life sentence?" she asked.

"We are prisoners without cells. "As for my son, his prison, it even has a torture chamber," she said, referring to the physical and emotional effects of having ADDS. Stewart's attorney Joseph Murphy, said he has already filed an appeal. "Brian Stewart did not commit this offense. He's innocent," Murphy said.

Assistant Prosecutor Jim Gregory said it hadn't been determined where Stewart would be imprisoned. Gregory said Stewart would likely be segregated from the rest of the prison population for his own protection. heights. You are in a class now by yourself." Cundiff added: "I believe when God finally calls you, you are going to burn in hell from here to eternity." Stewart was convicted Dec. 6 of injecting AIDS-tainted blood into the boyt who was then 11 months old, during a hospital visit in 1992.

The child, now 7, was diagnosed with AIDS in 1996. Prosecutors said Stewart was trying to avoid child-support payments. Stewart, who worked as a hospital technician at the time, stole the blood from his workplace, prosecutors said. fljXgffil (HftTrlV Sgfi0D News In Brief Elder-Beerman's SEN FOR OUR CUSTOMERS AGES 55 AND OVER If you are not yet a member, you can sign up at our Gift Wrap desk simply by showing proof of age. There is no cost or obligation to join.

UCLUB Another policy change will provide more money to child-care centers to encourage them to care for infants. Supreme Court justice sworn in SPRINGFIELD (AP) Former Illinois Appellate Judge S. Louis Rathje was sworn in Friday as a state Supreme Court justice. Rathje was appointed to succeed retiring Justice JohixL. Nickels.

He will serve by appointment until 2000, when he will run for a 10-year term. Rathje was born in Geneva in 1939 and received his law degree from Northwestern Law School in 1964. He practiced law in Wheaton until 1992, when he became a circuit court judge. He gan his appellate position in 1994. State expands welfare program SPRINGFIELD.

(AP) Welfare recipients who go to school will get extra time on the public aid rolls. Gov. Jim Edgar on Friday changed the policy in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. He also announced a $4.4 million expansion of state-funded child care. Previously.jDeople could get TANF assistance for no more than five years.

Now, if they're going to school, they can get as piany as four school years extra added to their time on public assistance. They must maintain a 2.5 grade-point average, I Of 150,000 TANF recipients, liSOO are in school 900 full-lime. Officials don't know how jnftny more might go to school wjth the new policy. Take advantage of special savings on our next Senior Savers Club Day, Tues day, Jan uary 12 1 RETIREMENT ANSWERS Do you want to know how much you can spend per month at retirement without running out of money? Do you want to know how much what to invest your retirement assets or rollover money in? If you want someone to help you find the answers to these questions call: BOYER INVESTMENT ADVISORS LOOK WHAT'S IN STORE FOR REGISTER TO WIN Hm oA S500 (it HEALTH INFORMATION Free balance screenings Free blood pressure screenings FREEBIES 90-days deferred billing on your Elder-Beerman charge card purchases of $30 or more Select gift wrap on Elder-Beerman charge card purchases of $25 or more Cosmetic makeovers Refreshments shopping spree Dan Sappenfield (217)832-3033 13 W. Madison, Villa Grove, IL 61956 LisaK.Boyer,CFP (217)268-3216 102 N.

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