Herald and Review from Decatur, Illinois • Page 29

I Homines Decatur, Illinois, -Monday, July 5, 1993 ii living farm provides visitor with patriotic period piece Lmcolns 3 DEBBIE PIERCE Par the Herald Review an 100 PeoPe traveled back in time Sunday during the annual 1845 Fourth of July celebration at the LJ Christmas and Thanksgiving weren't celebrated then. Our country was young, and patriotic fervor was Tom Vance, Lincoln Log Cabin Historic Site superintendent, on why Independence Day was major holiday of the mid-1840s ico. The big issues of the day were temperance, slavery, and the paying off of debts with paper money or with gold." Because of state budget cuts, some state parks have experienced monetary and personnel problems. The Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site hasn't been hurt too much, Vance said. "We had our budget cut back and lost some personnel a couple of years back, but we've been fortunate in having the volunteer and foundation groups pick up the slack, he said.

The site, eight miles southwest of Charleston, is the last home of Abraham Lincoln's parents, Thomas and Sarah Bush Lincoln. jl -U Lincoln Log Cabin Historic bite near "Yoii walk through the barn and it's 1845," said Hal Malehorn, president of the site's volunteers. "Our outer garments are hand-sewn from natural fibers, we have period animals and foods, and we adopt the actual customs and language of the time." site's youth volunteers competed in sack races aod watermelon seed spitting contests, amid much joking with one another and with visitors. Other activities included a flag-raising ceremony conducted by the site's militia unit, the reading of the Declaration of Independence, political speeches, patriotic songs, and a play depicting issues of the day. Site Superintendent Tom Vance said Independence Day was the major holiday of the mid-1840s.

'Thrictm'ic onH TVionlrcrriiririfT maron't oloHrntA1 Photo bv Debbie Pierce then," he said. "Our country was young, and patriotic fervor was high. We were in an expansion mode, ready to annex Texas and before the war with Mex- FLAG RAISING: Members of the militia unit at Lincoln Log Cabin Historic Site prepare to raise the flag during Sunday's annual 1845 Fourth of July celebration near Lerna. Ipilflinii eF4 Woman shares childhood joy with husband By ANGELA THOMAS For the Herald Review VA I I 4 I i I i Ill' ence. The strong breezes that whipped at American flags and offered some respite from the steamy Fourth were almost too much of a good thing.

Bill Clevenger, executive director of the Decatur Park District, said the wind caused a slight delay in the performance of the Decatur Ski Klub. Shelli Brunner, summer supervisor with the Decatur Recreation Department, said the brisk breeze also seemed to hinder sales of candles for the Special Olympics candlelight ceremony. "People seem concerned about keeping the candles lit during the ceremony," Brunner said. "Mostly people are generous, though, and give anyway." Clevenger, who said the holiday passed without any big problems at Nelson Park, said attendance was at expected levels. "The afternoon was hot, so maybe we had fewer people then," he said.

"Things have gone very nicely today, though, and the performers have given especially good shows. They deserve a pat on the back." DECATUR Fireworks over Lake Decatur hold a special kind of magic. At least former Decatur resident Meg Ullestad thinks so. She traveled all the way from West Plains, with her husband Kevin and their children Brittany and Benjamin, to see the fireworks in Nelson Park on the Fourth of July. As the family settled in for Sunday evening's show, Ullestad said the trip represents a 10-year-old goal for her.

She has been trying every year of their marriage to bring her husband to Nelson Park for the Fourth of July. "I've been wanting all these years to get him to Decatur for the Fourth. I've never seen fireworks better than here, and we've lived in many bigger cities," Ullestad said. Her mother, Ruth Halliburton, said the family spends nearly every July 4th in Nelson Park. "We've been coming here since she was a little girl," said Halliburton, glancing at her daughter sitting next to her on their blanket.

"We're really excited that our grandchildren are able to have the same experi Photo by Herb Slodounik 'A ARGENTA-OREANA FLAGWAVERS: The Argenta-Oreana Fourth of July parade was a great success and youngsters found it. particularly sweet, as they collected candy from passing floats and attractions. Lynn Spicer, 3, and Trisha Spicer, 5, both of Oreana, had curbside seats as they waved flags and iuiea meir sacKS wun canuy. rn tmmmmmmmmx-u mm Benton woman injured in crash MATTOON A Benton woman was in serious but stable condition 5nnHa niaht af Ramps Hnsniral in St T.niris after a nne-par accident New Macon County post to be filled in next two months under pact with EPA. at 10:40 a.m.

on Interstate 57 a mile south of Mattoon. Marlene Seaman, 39, was transferred to Barnes Hospital from Sa- By DAVE MOORE Staff Writer ran tUSn Lincoin neaun eiiiei ueii ividwuuii. uuiei occuncui iduuiy members treated and released from Sarah Bush were George, 37, Tracey, 9, Shawn, 15, and Christina, 17, all of Benton. Illinois State Police in Pesotum said Christina Seaman was driving the car when a dog got under her foot. She lost control of the car when she tried to move the dog with her feet, and it crashed into a concrete abutment, State Police said.

Woman accused of manslaughter DECATUR The woman who police say fatally stabbed a man who broke into her house was in the Macon County Jail Sunday night, But that isn't enough, said Macon County Solid Waste Manager Bob Johnson. "The state doesn't have enough people to do the job," he said. "It's easier to have agreements with county governments to do the job." Charles Tribout, director of environmental health for the Macon County Health Department, said the inspector position will boost enforcement of state environmental laws. Tribout said the health department isn't required to make landfill inspections. He said health department employees don't have all the training a state EPA inspector would have.

The county's new inspector will have that training. With the new inspector: II The Macon County Landfill, the only landfill operating in Decatur, will be inspected twice a month. The Waste Hauling Landfill, which hasn't been officially closed but isn't operating, will be inspected once a month. Compost facilities will be inspected once a month. Currently, the EPA's Champaign office inspects closed landfills as needed.

The new inspector position will lessen the load for EPA's Champaign office, which covers 18 counties, Gerrard said. The inspection agreement will cost $71,920. The state is picking up 61 percent of the cost, and Macon County is paying for 39 percent of the cost through landfill tipping fees. The inspector will be paid about $22,000 a year. The rest of the cost includes support staff from the Macon County Health Department and other expenses.

DECATUR Macon County's environment will probably get a lot more personal attention when the county hires an inspector this month, or in August. The solid-waste inspector will look after compost sites, closed landfills, the Macon County Landfill and other facilities, under an agreement between the state Environmental Protection Agency and the county. "We try to get in a minimum number of inspections of one per year for each permitted facility," said Richard Gerrard, director of the land division of the EPA's regional office in Champaign. DooKea tor involuntary maiuidugmci Rosalind M. Brady, 33, of 1245 N.

College St. was being held with- Johnson Macon County solid waste manager says the state EPA is unable to adequately inspect waste sites on a regular basis. UUL UU1JU. Brady is accused of killing Russell Johnson, 38, who was dead on arrival at Decatur Memorial Hospital. Johnson broke into Brady's house at about 5:47 p.m.

saiuraay. Accoruing iu puuee, uiauy grabbed a kitchen knife and slashed him in the neck. Would-be robber denied service DECATUR A man armed with a handgun asked for money to go at McDonald's at about 12:43 a.m. Sunday morning, but employees refused to fill his order, police said. The man, who wore a red bandana over his face, walked up to the window at the McDonald's restaurant at 962 W.

Eldorado St. and displayed a gun to a clerk. The clerk pressed herself against a wall to hide from the man, and II thp nolire. The man fled emDtv-handed. $12 charge for one-minute call inspires Peoria lawmaker's plan.

By SARAH ANDERSON Springfield Bureau Writer hjiu a tvrTvtAvt The would-be robber was described as a white male between 25 and p5 years old, thin, with blond hair. He wore a white jacket and white pants. CCA ICC committee that will further regulate the pay phone industry, said pay phone owners who charge $2.50 for calling across town are using an operator in Texas or California. Those who charge $6 or $10 to call across town are doing it to make money, Ward said! "There are few of them out there that do this, but they wreak havoc," he said. "We support the uniform operation of pay phones." The committee, comprised of private pay phone owners, telephone companies, the ICC and consumers, has been studying what can be done to even the playing field for all pay phone owners.

Ward said the problem with pay phones is that the law governing them is out of date. In 1985, when the first laws were enacted, the privately owned pay phone industry was not the same as it is today. The current law places public phones under ICC regulation, but only phones outside of buildings are considered public. Ward said there is a loophole in the law. "If people use a pay phone inside a restaurant, it could cost $6 to call across the street." "It's a great piece of consumer legislation," he said.

"I don't think most people even see these calls on their bills, so they don't even know it's happening to them." Beth Bosch, ICC spokeswoman, said there is a big problem with privately owned pay phones because people do not realize they are not going through a telephone company operator when they use these phones. "When people use the phone, they may think they're calling across town," she said. "But what they're really doing is using some other operator company in Texas. So they call across six states and back instead of across town." Under the new law, the ICC will mirror the requirements of the Federal Communications Commission at a state level. People will now be able to get access to their own long-distance carrier operators.

State Rep. John F. Dunn, D-Decatur, won passage of a law four years ago that had the same objectives. But Bosch said it was insufficient. Michael Ward, attorney for the Independent Coin Pay Phone Association and member of an SPRINGFIELD When state Rep.

David Leitch, R-Peoria, used a pay phone to call from Springfield to Peoria, the one-minute call ended up costing him $12. The phone Leitch used was a privately owned pay phone. He was unaware of the difference between it and a normal pay phone. The big difference: some of the privately owned phones' rates are unregulated. Leitch said he received several calls from constituents complaining the same thing had happened to them.

Leitch said the phone call inspired him to co-sponsor legislation that will require the Illinois Commerce Commission to regulate privately owned pay phones. The legislation was overwhelmingly approved and is awaiting the governor's signature. Cruid-care iraimng sessiun uncicu SULLIVAN There will be a training session for Moultrie and Shelby county child-care providers from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, 'July 17, at the Sullivan Library.

Those attending will receive a provider handbook with activities to strengthen their programs. They'll also get lunch. 1 Those interested should contact the Child Care Resource and Referral of Eastern Illinois University at 1-800-545-7439 or 581-6698. i The referral service is offering the session with WEIU-TV, the Chil-'dren's Television Workshop and the Sesame Street Preschool Education Program Initiative..