Herald and Review from Decatur, Illinois • Page 3

BRIEFS Veterans Day Salute goes out to those who served Wednesday Questions or comments regarding this section? Contact Night Editor John Reidy at 421-6973 grams of marijuana, 382 Ecstasy pills, one handgun, two vehicles and drug packaging material, said police Sgt. Rick McElroy, supervisor of the police department's Street Crimes Unit. The street value of the drugs seized was nearly $38,000, he said. In a sworn statement filed in circuit court, police detective Chad Ramey said the Johns Avenue house was under surveillance when the state police used a confidential source to make telephone contact with a 24-year-old man inside the residence and order a quantity of cocaine. He said the man agreed to meet the caller in a parking lot near Wood and 22nd streets.

When the suspect arrived at the parking lot about 1 p.m. Friday, officers closed in and arrested him, Ramey said. During a search of the suspect, officers found five bags of cocaine weighing about 17 grams, News from Central Illinois decatur Offices closed today Federal, state, county and city offices are closed today in observance of Veterans Day. Some local schools and Richland Community College will not hold classes. There will be no mail delivery and no counter service at the downtown post office or Memorial Station on Mound Road.

The Decatur Public Library will be open normal hours from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. 0ECATUH CASA seeks donations for sale Macon County Court Appointed Special Advocates, who represent abused and neglected children, are seeking donations for a rummage sale that will be held from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov.

15, at First Congregational United Church of Christ, 3465 N. MacArthur Road. Donations will be accepted from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13, and from 9 a.m.

to 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14. Items including boots, coats, dresses and infanttoddler clothing should be priced. Other clothing, books, CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, glasses and purses are among items that do not need to be priced.

Please, no magazines, encyclopedias, tires or men's clothing (except jeans). For more information, e-mail programmaconcountycasa.org or call 428-8424. Booster Club meeting set The MacArthur High School Booster Club will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12, for 30 minutes to consider all school business and hear a report from the principal before breaking into individual meetings for each school community.

Parents and guardians of MacArthur students, as well as interested community members, are invited to attend. Memberships of $10 still are being accepted. SALUTING SERVICE MEMBERS out a blank check to the United States of America for any amount up to and including their lives. Brig. Gen Stewart Reeve he said.

The 22-year-old girlfriend of the arrested man returned from work and arrived while officers were searching the residence, Ramey said. The house was rented in her name, he said. The woman acknowledged knowing about the marijuana, Ramey said. But when shown the other items seized, she became upset and angry and would not answer any further questions, he said. The man's bond has been set at $150,000 and the woman's bond at $100,000.

The second search warrant was served at 4 p.m. Friday at a house in the 1300 block of Parkwood Place, where officers seized about 85 grams of cocaine, 33 grams of marijuana and $2,727, McElroy said. A 59-year-old man remains jailed on $100,000 bond. In a sworn statement filed in back and forth, asking all then-questions and getting responses," Barger said. "It's been a wonderful experience for my students." At Mount Zion, Brig.

Gen. Reeve left the high school students with one thought about Veterans Day. He told them to go home and call or, better yet, go visit a veteran in their family. "Veterans Day requires you to say two words not heard much in America today," Reeve said. "Thank you." 'I i i Mil court, detective Shannon Seal said the arrested man told officers he was unemployed and had been selling cocaine for about 25 years, though he had no prior drug convictions locally.

She said the man stated he had been advanced 3.25 ounces of cocaine by another man to whom he owed $4,500 for the drug. The final warrant was served about 7 p.m. Friday in the 1000 block of West Green Street, where officers seized 74 Ecstasy pills, 6 grams of heroin and $1,400, McElroy said. In a sworn statement filed in court, detective David Dailey said when interviewed, the 21-year-old man admitted the drugs were his but claimed he had given some Ecstasy tablets Friday without charge and had obtained the heroin for his uncle who takes it for pain. The man's bond was set at $15,000.

Okaw Valley honors those who served By SHARON MOSLEY For the Herald Review BETHANY Eight-year-old Natalie Jeffers knew that Veterans Day was a holiday involving flags, patriotic music and men and women in uniform, but Monday she learned a little more. "I didn't know so many people had died serving our country," the Okaw Valley student said. "It is really sad and it makes you grateful for what they did." Jeffers and other Okaw Valley preschool, elementary, middle school and high school students were at the high school Monday for a Veterans Day ceremony. The event began with a breakfast for veterans, provided by the student council. "The public recognition of the men and women who served is very nice," said Army veteran Sam Scott.

"I appreciate the effort that it took to accomplish all this." Vietnam veteran David Marvin Norris said he had three grandchildren Jessica, Justin and Jacob in the audience. "It's nice to show them what we did," he said. Okaw Valley Superintendent Joel Brackney said students created a Wall of Honor for relatives serving in the armed forces and will hold a public concert to honor veterans at 7 tonight at the high school. "We're building a community here," High School Principal Eric Bruder said. "That's what it's all about." Monday's program included poetry from students, choral and band performances.

sharonhrnewsyahoo.com suit to prevent the jobs transfer until Madigan's review is over. If Madigan rejects the move outright, there might not be a need for the lawsuit in the first place. Madigan spokesman Scott Mulford said he wasn't sure how long her review would take, saying only it would be "thorough and appropriate." Still, late last week, Madigan's office filed a motion to dismiss Craven's suit. No hearings are scheduled. mike.riopelllee.net789-0865 Cocaine, marijuana, ecstasy among items seized from homes By RON INGRAM Staff Writer DECATUR Decatur police served three narcotics search warrants Friday, resulting in large quantities of drugs being seized and four people being arrested for allegedly possessing the narcotics with intent to sell them.

The biggest haul occurred about 2 p.m. when Decatur police officers, troopers of the Illinois State Police Central Illinois Enforcement Group and Macon County sheriff's deputies served a warrant at 1200 East Johns Avenue. Seized at the residence were about 112 grams of cocaine, 1,900 Mount Zion assembly teaches high school students reasons for Veterans Day By VALERIE WELLS HSR Staff Writer MOUNT ZION It was very quiet in Mount Zion High School's gymnasium when Brig. Gen. Stewart Reeve asked the veterans present to turn and look at the bleachers full of students.

"We used to be you," Reeve said. A few teenagers looked disbelieving, as young people who have yet to meet Father Time face to face. Veterans, Reeve told the students, look no different than anyone else, but they sacrificed time, safety, comfort and home so those left behind could have those things. "They made out a blank check to the United States of America," Reeve said, "for any amount up to and including their lives." Mount Zion's Veterans Day assembly Monday took three months to plan, said Richard Hansen, who teaches advanced placement American history at the school. He wanted his students to learn the rest of the story.

"We all encounter this stuff, but people don't necessarily know the reasons behind it," Hansen said. "They know Veterans Day means we get tomorrow off of school, but do they know the reason why?" Zach Samples, a junior who is in Hansen's class, said he found the tribute to veterans moving. "I didn't know what I was going to get out of it until I got to the assembly," Samples said. "To see all the veterans, and realize just how much they did for us. I think of honor and service.

The veterans wouldn't have done it if they didn't have honor for their country and didn't feel moved to do something. It's hard to express in words. They gave their lives to Madigan's office Transportation jobs move on hold By MIKE RIOPELL HSR Springfield Bureau Writer SPRINGFIELD Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office will continue to work for Gov. Rod Blagojevich in the lawsuit over whether it's legal for the governor to move more than 100 state jobs from Springfield to Southern Illinois. On Monday, representatives of Blagojevich asked t.

They made Sangamon Roger lawyer, a conflict case. been in the state approval $812,000 to house Department in to prevent Melissa CECATUR Deputy injured in accident Macon County sheriff's Deputy Timothy W. Houk, 27, of Shelbyville was slightly injured about 5:20 a.m. Monday when a semitruck made a left turn in front of his squad car and he could not avoid striking the truck's right fender. The truck driver, Paul E.

Deatrick, 72, of Wapella was ticketed by Illinois State Police for failure to yield while turning left. State police said Houk was northbound on Illinois 48 at 27th Street when one southbound semitruck turned in front of him onto 27th Street, closely followed by a second truck, which is the one the squad car struck. Houk was taken to St. Mary's Hospital, where he was to be kept overnight for observation because of complaints of pain in his lower extremities, said Macon County Chief Deputy Ed Culp. tt 1 l3! A.V,.ftS,tfi2atofe3fe SJ 1rt ii iniiiniiM-ii i nn iimndr Herald ReviewStephen Haas Sixth-grade students Colton Johnson, left, John Plotner, center, and Ahqavi-ous Bradford sing during a Veterans Day program in the auditorium of Franklin School on Monday in Decatur.

this and that's why we're here." Later in the day, Franklin School held its own tribute to veterans. Kristin Barger's sixth-grade class prepared a musical and dramatic show for their schoolmates, thanks to their interest in Barger's twin brother, Eric, a military police officer who served 15 months in Iraq and just came back to the states safely. He exchanged e-mails with her students during his deployment and will visit them in December so they can meet him in person. "They've been loving e-mailing will continue representing Blagojevich in lawsuit Man robs tow truck driver A tow truck driver was robbed at gunpoint about 5 p.m. Sunday as he pulled up at the intersection of Edward and Division streets, said Decatur police Sgt.

Cody Moore. A man with a handgun approached and demanded money from the driver, Moore said. After receiving some cash, the gunman fled on foot. The assailant was described as a black male in his mid-20s with a mustache, about 6 feet tall and weighing 160 to 180 pounds. He wore a black reversible jacket with blue on the inside, black jeans, white shoes and a diamond earring.

Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to call Decatur police at 424-2734 or Decatur CrimeStoppers at 423-TIPS. CORRECTION Sunday's Smarty Pants feature, "In the middle," on page D1, was written by Bill Ward, Senior Copy Editor. Madigan shouldn't be allowed to represent the governor because she gets to weigh in on the purchase of the building. "At the moment, there is a potential conflict of interest," Riahei said. Holmes ruled Madigan's office would continue representing Blagojevich.

It's unclear to what extent Madigan has the authority to review the transfer beyond the paperwork of purchasing the building. But one of her attorneys said Monday that the attor- County Judge Holmes for a new saying Madigan has of interest in the Blagojevich's plan has limbo for months as needs Madigan's before it can pay for a former Wal-Mart building in Harrisburg more than 100 of Transportation workers who now work Springfield. Springfield officials sued the move. Blagojevich attorney Riahei argued View a copy of the motion to dismiss a case challenging the move of Illinois Depart- ment of Transportation offices to Harrisburg at www.herald-review.comartIDOT110708. pdf ney general won't be deciding whether sending jobs to Southern Illinois is good policy.

In the meantime, Springfield Attorney Don Craven is holding back on the law-.