Herald and Review from Decatur, Illinois • Page 1

in E3ILLJgHtlE $125,000 In today's Today: Storms Tonight Showers DetailsTCS it paper i A JS HIGH LOW FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2003 DECATUR, ILLINOIS Hemd4Review 84 'It sort of helps us bring everybody together to pay our MacArthur junior win snaw Remembering, Honoring 9 1 1 Herald ReviewPhil Jacobs Firefighters, students, others mark anniversary of attacks By RON IMGRAM Staff Writer DECATUR Brandon Moore is a junior at MacArthur High School who aspires to be a firefighter. So Thursday morning, Moore and some of his friends got 1 parental permission to cut class to attend the ceremony at Decatur Fire Station No. 1 marking the second of the 911 terrorist attacks. "We New defense Northcom takes task of defending U.S. soil.

Mixed feelings Allies praise U.S. while others are critical on anniversary. StoriesM firefighters nationwide. Other 911 observances were held Thursday at the Decatur Army Reserve Center, area schools and colleges and at several restaurants that distributed free food to emergency services personnel in recognition of the work they do. About two dozen people joined nearly an equal number of firefighters, police officers and city officials for the brief ceremony at Fire Station No.

1 that included reading of the Fireman's Prayer by fire Capt. Terry Brown and the Policeman's Prayer by police Lt. Ed Smith. Firefighter Jeff Blair rang the traditional three sets of five chimes each using an antique fire engine bell. The 15 bell rings commemorate the death of a firefighter.

Fire Chief Les Albert said the significance of the bell goes back 200 years in fire department history, when the bell signaled the beginning of a shift and called the men to fight a fire. He said the bell is still used as a symbol reflecting honor and respect. Tammy Prince, Linda Mauzy and Susan Moore walked across a parking lot separating the fire station from the nearby Community Health Improvement Center clinic to attend the ceremony. Moore said the trio came "because we care. It's nice to see some people here." 911A9 jfj mini II I I r- 4 3 just really came out to recognize what happened," Moore said.

"It was a bad day." All seven Decatur fire stations held ceremonies Thursday commemorating the lives lost on 911, when terrorists crashed passenger jets into the World Trade Center towers in New York City and the Pentagon near Washington, D.C. A fourth hijacked jet crashed in Pennsylvania. The loss of 343 New York City firefighters in the collapse of the World Trade Center towers was particularly poignant for Herald ReviewCarlos T. Miranda Capt. Glenn Peers raises the American flag during a memorial ceremony Thursday morning commemorating the attack on the Pentagon at the Army Reserve Center in Decatur.

The flag raised was flown over the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2002. At top, Capt. Terry Brown of the Decatur Fire Department reads the firemen's prayer during a 911 memorial service Thursday morning at Fire Station No. 1.

Children of victims read trade center roll call Phyllis Ferguson of New York listens to names of the dead being read at ground zero during a ceremony Thursday in New York marking the two-year anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center. Ferguson said she was there to mourn the loss of her friend Alice Jones, who died that day in one of the towers. 7 Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania, killing more than 3,000 people in the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history. In New York, 200 children led the mourning, showing extraordinary poise as they read the enormous list of victims for 2V2 hours.

Church bells tolled at the moment hijacked Flight 93 crashed near Shanks ville, Pa. A moment of silence was observed at the Pentagon for the 184 victims there. And President Bush stood in silence on the White House lawn. LISTA10 NEW YORK (AP) Two by two they stepped forward at ground zero Thursday, the sons and daughters, nieces and nephews, grandsons and granddaughters of the 911 victims, mournfully reciting the 2,792 names of the World Trade Center dead. "My mother and my hero," 13-year-old Brian Terzian said after reading the name of his mother, Stephanie McKenna.

"We love you." For a second straight year, the nation paused on a bright September morning to recall the day when hijacked jetliners slammed into the World yv I '4 1 ji iiMMIinniililiM ft 4 0-f Herald ReviewCarlos T. Miranda Candy Leamon read her poem Thursday afternoon during one of three commemorative observances Thursday at MacArthur High School. Associated Press Treasurer to step down Oct. 10 eakers embrace middle school proposa nation, Macon County State's Many say students will have sense of belonging By VALERIE WELLS Staff Writer Macon County Board Democrats criticized for caucas meeting By STEPHANIE POTTER Staff Writer DECATUR The Macon County Board received Treasurer Ron Williams' letter of resignation at its meeting Thursday night. Williams did not speak at the meeting, and the board did not have to vote to accept his resig Attorney Scott Rueter said.

In the letter, dated Aug. 8, Williams said the decision to resign was a difficult one. The Democratic treasurer, elected in November, had drawn criticism for his failure to make timely reports for the board and for his handling of several issues, including the disbursement of tax money. His resignation is effective Oct. 10.

"During my campaign or B0ARDA10 middle school would give kids something to look forward to a little sooner than they do now, Dixon said, and though he was against the idea at first, after studying it, he's changed his mind. "Change is a very scary thing," Dixon said at the forum. "I think we may be a little afraid of change. But after seeing (the proposal), I think it's a good idea." He voiced the opinion of most of the community speakers at the forum. F0RUMA10 school component of the proposed reorganization of the district.

That component calls for implementing the "true middle school" concept sixth, seventh and eighth grade, with students grouped into smaller "houses" or "teams" that work together throughout the day. The concept also includes a greater emphasis on advisers and counseling to help children make the transition from elementary school and prepare them for high school during those sometimes turbulent middle years. Making sixth grade the first year for DECATUR Lynn Dixon has a daughter in sixth grade at Dennis School who, he says, would have "jumped for joy" if she could have gone to middle school this year. He was one of the many people who attended the Decatur schools' public forum Thursday to discuss the middle Lose to Win Looking ahead: Lasting tributes This artist engraves her work on tombstones Monday Lose to Win Find out how to find healthier alternatives, even on a fast-food menuSunday HR Preps Catch all the action from Friday night footballSstsrdr 7u 50 cents Our 128th year Issue 255 Four sections 5 INSIDE: Business B1-3 Classifieds C1-10 Comics B6 Dear Abby B4 Horoscopes B6 Life B4-7 Movies B5 Puzzles Obituaries A6 Sports D1-7 Opinion A8 Television B7 CI I II II II IS '02138 "00001 2 Outside DecatuM-fCO-437-2533.