Journal Gazette from Mattoon, Illinois • Page 2

Mattoon (I1L) Journal Gazette A2 Monday, November 17, 1997 rjflTIOnWORLD About People they're madly in Accused serial killer said he moved family to escape crime De Niro on the press NEWYORK(AP) The media may be intrigued by Robert De Niro, but the feeling isn't mutual. The 29-year-old told herself at a dinner with Costner the night before her audition for "The Postman:" "You mustn't stare. OK, look at the food." The next day, Costner asked Williams to co-star with him in the movie, which he also directs. Before she captured Costner's attention in a video tryout in January from London, Williams had appeared on camera only once in a British TVadaptation of "Emma." Fidelity according to Figgis NEW YORK (AP) Director Mike Figgis figures people don't just fall in love in a vacuum, and that's why he believes marital infidelity is more of a symptom than a No one can be unfaithful if death at his home in St. Am ant on Oct.

27, 1996. Blank had worked at Rossi's car repair shop. Barbara Bourgeois, 58, of Paulina, stabbed to death March 18 at her home, a quarter-mile from Blank's. Lillian Phillipe, 71, of Gonzales, stabbed to death in her home April 9. Blank bought car parts from the store that Phillipe's husband had started.

Sam Arcuri, 76, and Louella Arcuri, 69, bludgeoned to death in their LaPlace home May 9. Joan Brock, 55, beaten to death in the back yard of her LaPlace home May 14. Blank had worked at Brock's husband's car repair shop in Reserve. Leonce and Joyce Millet, both 66, beaten and shot inside their Gonzales home July 7. They survived.

A search of Blank's house trailer turned up a machete with traces ofblood and human hair on it, Polk County Sheriff Billy Ray Nelson Sr. said. He said the machete might have been used in some of the attacks, The Times-Picayune reported Sunday. Nelson said Blank liked to gamble. Blank also told authorities during his confession that "he wanted to have things he never could afford" and might have taken as much as $200,000 from his victims.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) Police say Daniel J. Blank told them that he was a serial killer who stabbed, bludgeoned or shot six people bosses, neighbors, and customers to pay for his gambling habit. Folks in the piney woods town of Onalaska, Texas, say Blank told them he'd moved there last summer to get himself, his wife and their four kids away from crime. Sheriffs of the three parishes where Blank, 35, lived until a few months ago, say he has admitted killing six people and trying to kill two others since October 1996. Most were well off, and in their 60s and 70s.

So are a lot of people in Onalaska. "This is basically a retirement community where people come to get away from the city and crime," Mayor Jeanne Ann Byrd told The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune. "We go without murders for 20 years. He seemed like a nice man." Blank was arrested Friday in Onalaska on one murder charge and was taken to St. John the Baptist Parish jail.

The sheriffs of St John, St. James and Ascension parishes say he will be charged with six murders and two attempted murders. Those are: Victor Rossi, 41, beaten to Don Evans, who owns a car repair shop in Onalaska, said Blank wanted to buy it for $65,000, cash. "I felt something funny when he said he wouldn't have had any problem coming up with $65,000 cold cash. Their kids said their dad had made a lot of money from video poker Evans told the newspaper Saturday.

"He was an excellent mechanic, though, an excellent transmission man." Evans, 63, said that instead of selling, he leased the store to Blank. "But I'm worried it's depreciated, being leased by a serial killer and all." Blank, one of eight children, grew up in Paulina, in rural St. James Parish. He was sent to a reform school when he was young, family members said. Audrey Louque, a sister who lives in Gramercy, said the arrest stunned family members.

Ms. Louque said Blank was divorced from his first wife, and had two children from that marriage. Next-door neighbors Penny and Mike Darling the paper that the Blanks never tried to make friends or invite the Dar- lings' children to play with theirs. "I tried to make friends with him, but he was real rude," said Darling, 43. "After a while, I figured they only wanted to be friends with elderly people.

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The next, she was being flown first class to Loe Angeles by actor-director Kevin Costner for an audition. Charleston A BREAKFAST MENU ft ALL STAR EGG BISCUIT 74 SAUSAGE BISCUIT BACON BISCUIT 94' HAM BISCUIT $T14 I A GRAVY $1.75 HALF 99 Jn J.L fforthys Grille yiJf Newspaper: Miami exiles paid group from El Salvador to set off bombs in Cuban tourist hotels mm Steaks Chicken Seafood AIl-You-Can-Eat Specials Monday Friday Worthy's! from $3.99 sq. yd. love with their Spouse, says me 49-year-old British director, whose latest Stand," deals with cheating. Wesley Snipes and Nastassja Kinski star as the couple who step out on their marriages.

Figgis "It's interesting, genetically, or ganically," he says. "Your synapses, or whatever the respond sible parties here would be, do not function in the same way. You're l5 not looking to be attracted to some- i body else. You find the rest of the.r, world dull, if you're in a relation- ship that's stimulating you. Toast exclusion on the gain from the sale of a primary residence.

Determine whether Estate Tax changes for in dividuals and small business owners will benefit them. Maximize higher education and child-care relief. Joining Bachmeier for the November workshops are Charlie Winders, CPA, and Steve Wente, CPA, of Doehring, Winders and LLP, CPA's. Two sessions will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 18 2:00 and 7:00 PM at the Mattoon Public Library Large Meeting Room.

A question and answer session will follow. Admission is FREE, but seating is limited and reservations are necessary. Call 258-4259 or toll free (888) 258-4259 for reservations. People who cannot attend the workshops, but would like to learn more can call and request a free summary of the law. John Bachmeier rkzl Specials Saved 5PM 7PM MONDAY Beef Noodles TUEStiAY Lasacna Garlic Dave's decorating 1365 18th Street WEDNESDAY Original Broaster Chicken THURSDAY -BBQ Ribs FRIDAY Catfish or Clam Strips or Popcorn Shrimp iilliliiillllilllillll XA-.

UPff Ask about our Saturday Night Specials Always Choice Cut Steaks. Chicken, Ribs, Seafood, Soup Salad Bar, Desserts, and FulTBarervlce Best Western Worthington Inn 920 Lincoln, Charleston 348-8161 vadoran confessed that he was offered $4,500 per bombing and charged that the money came from the Cuban American National Foundation, an anti-Castro lobby based in Miami. The foundation denied any involvement in the bombings. "Some of the money came from big names, but not the well-known (anti-Castro) organizations," said another unidentified exile. "In small businessman, Who apparently just closed a big deal, handed over an envelope with several thousand in cash." Clean Up Savings BIG JAKE'S CARPET CLEANING FREE ESTIMATES Carpet Cleaning Scotchgard Deodorizing Upholstery Cleaning Water Fire Damage Janitorial Service CALL TODAY 348-0745 CRAZIER 913 Charleston Ave.

Mattoon Try the All BREAKFAST PLATTER Includea 2 eggs, Meat, Hash Browns and Biscuit "A Good Way To Surt Tfae Day" 59 1 Weekdays I 8-11 Sunday 4n Yitiiai- Mattoon, IL. Understanding the new tax law Avoiding the Pitfalls and Maximizing the Benefits. On August 5. President Clinton signed into law the most sweep ing tax retorm legislation since the Reagan Era the Tax Payer Relief Act of 1997. This comolex law affects many groups of peo ple including: Investors, people with caDital Grains on nsspta families, homeowners, and tax- conscious individuals.

In order to help Deonle better understand this Law and how they can benefit from its provisions. The Mattoon nffira rein vestment Centers of America, Inc. is hosting a series of informational workshops. The one-hour workshops will be hosted by John Bachmeier, Registered Representative and will show people how to: Utilize the new EothJM for present and future income and, estate tax control Understand the changes in capital aina and how to take advantage of these fhgngf ft Take advantage of increased Buy your Thanksgiving Turkey before MIAMI (AP) Cuban exiles in Miami raised $15,000 to pay a small group of criminals from El Salvador to set off bombs in tourist hotels in Cuba, according to a published report The bombings, which killed an Italian tourist, were the work of a ringofSalvadorancarthieve8and armed robbers who met during military training, The Miami Herald reported, citing anony-mousi sources in the local exile i community. "tr, Money to finance the bombings was raised by Luis Posada Car- riles, a veteran of the exiles' secret war against Cuban President Fidel Castro, the paper said.

Posada was charged and acquitted of a terrorist bombing in 1976 that killed 73 people on a Cuban jetliner. He spent nine years in a Venezuelan jail, but escaped in 1985 and settled in El Salvador under a false name. Posada reportedly approached Miami exiles in mid-1996, using his renown as an anti-Castro warrior to solicit wealthy Cuban-Americans for money. "He contacted Miami and said he had reliable Salvadorans, young men from the military academy, ready to go into Cuba and set off small explosives in tourist hotels," one Miami exile, who wasn't named, told the newspaper. Cuban police have said a Sal- Tuesday SPECIAL 3.79 FAMOUS RECIPE'S CHICKEN DINNER SphcmolFunoutHtclp, CHtpu Phis, or Hub-RotsUd CMcfcM nuxd potato and gruiy Crmy cote slaw and on frtth hot WacuU LJ FafflotKRadptCCMckM Bum CHEESEBURGER FRENCH FRIES SMALL COKE $2.36 SAVE 400 Mad.

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