The Pantagraph from Bloomington, Illinois • Page 1

J. Wallace afiN Gromit film festival at the Normal Page D1 pages, 5 sections FRIDAY, January 10, 1997 Bloomington-Normal, Illinois 500 CANADA row ruo Lake Superior State blanketed bv 100 km I 1 uanoii iu to I Plane crash ZUZZJ I ILL. IND OHIO II-. 4 All mm .1 "IT Plane crash kills 29 MONROE, Mich. (AP) A com-' muter plane trying to land in a snow-, storm nose-dived into a field 18 miles short of the Detroit airport Thursday, killing all 29 people aboard.

The twin-engine Embraer 120, operated by Cincinnati-based Comair, went down just before dusk in a huge fireball, splintering into small pieces and leaving a black patch in the snow. "It looked like a bomb went off destroying everything in its path," said Dale Zorn, chairman of the local Board of Commissioners. Cathy Conner, 14, said she was getting off the school bus when she saw the plane go "straight into the ground." "It was just like a blur, it was going so fast. Then I saw the explosion and flames just went everywhere," she said. "You heard this big boom and there was a fireball that went up' See CRASH, back page Gingrich By Associated Press The first snowstorm of the new year socked Illinois Thursday, turning roads into toboggan runs, closing dozens of schools and sending shovelers to the sidewalks.

Snow fell everywhere in the state. The National Weather Service reported evening snow totals of 4 inches at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, 6 inches in Springfield, 7.5 inches at Lake Villa in northern Illinois and 11 inches in Charleston in Southern Illinois. The weather service warned that several more inches could accumulate before the snow stops, the wind kicks up and temperatures drop to the teens. "It's a nasty mess," said Mike Faulkner, who works at the Warren Grain Inc. elevator in Windsor and also serves as fire chief in the small Shelby County town.

Roads were snowy and slick. Cars and trucks slid into ditches, medians and each other, but there were no immediate reports of major accidents. "I've been out here almost 28 years now, and it amazes me that people don't know that ice is slick," said Master Sgt Adin Mitchel with the state police in DuQuoin. "They have to be trained again." There's a mix "between the real cautious drivers and those who drive too fast and then you've got the drivers who are in between the two who are doing quite well." "The mix there is what creates the problem," Mitchel said. All public schools were closed in large parts of Southern Illinois, from Madison and St.

Clair counties near St. Louis to Pulaski and Massac counties on the Ohio River. "It's not terribly deep, but it's impossible for safe bus travel," said Bob Mcintosh with the state's regional education office in Ullin, representing the southern tip of the state. It was a pretty classic winter storm, according to weather service meteorologist Bob Collins in Chicago. Warm moist air from the Gulf of Mexico rode up over a mass of cold air in the Plains states, sending snowstorms right up the Mississippi Valley, through Illinois and into Indiana.

Next on the winter menu: icy wind and temperatures dropping as low as 10 degrees over the weekend, the weather service The PantagraphMAUREEN O'CONNOR Eft jyj Little was springlike as Illinois State University students, above, began returning for the spring semester Thursday after the year's first significant snowfall. Freshman Sherrin Mogolis got some help unloading from junior Chris Mulae. At right, Normal water department employee Randy Edwards of Hudson cleared sidewalks near College Avenue and Beech Street Thursday afternoon. School officials have to make early call Area accumulations didn't measure up to Southern lllinoist -B Road conditions warrant slower speeds City crews hit the streets Page A5 hearings I Grown-ups couldn't play hooky despite storm US 1 III Page C1 It Storm gets good jump on history i postponed WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) House ethics committee Republic cans on Thursday postponed hearings on Newt Gingrich's admitted misconduct, leaving the panel wracked by partisan anger before the speaker's punishment is decided.

A week of televised public hear ings was scheduled to begin They were to end with a committee recommendation to the House foii Gingrich's punishment, followed by a House vote on penalties Jan. 21. i The timetable, agreed to by the entire committee early Thursday afternoon, later blew up over the timing of a report by the committee's special counsel. "We are reversing the order of the schedule," committee Chairwoman Nancy Johnson said at a news confer ence Thursday night See GINGRICH, back page -w '4 recorded; and in 1991, there were 13.9 inches at ISU. The only exception was 1993, when 24.6 inches were measured.

But that still is about 2 inches below the historical average for a typical year. But snow isn't the only thing that's been measuring below average. Rainfall last year also fell below the mark. Just more than 28 inches of rain were recorded at ISU in 1996, compared to almost 37 inches that traditionally fall in the Twin Cities. biggest one-day snowfall came on Dec.

19, 1995, when 3 inches were recorded. Long-range weather forecasts aside, it would seem the Twin Cities and Central Illinois might be due for a heavy snow season. In keeping with last year's relatively paltry amount, total snowfall in the last six years has been well below the historical average. In 1995, ISU measured just 11.2 inches of snow; in 1994, the total was 16.85 inches; in 1992, 11.35 inches were By Pantagraph staff The 5-inch snowfall dropped on the Twin Cities on Thursday was nearly half the total that fell in all of 1996. Only 10.6 inches of snow fell here last year, and half of it was measured in January.

Historically, Bloomington-Normal gets about 26 inches of snow every year. The storm was the heaviest since 6 inches of snow fell on Feb. 26, 1993, according to Illinois State University weather records. Since then, the The PanlagraphJASON ERNST -CP" Weather doesn't deter Smart enthusiasts It I By KAREN HANSEN Pantagraph staff Early Thursday morning, Bloomington Mayor Jesse Smart was worried the season's snowiest day would keep people IT Bloomington Mayor Jesse Smart greeted Irene Bit- tner as his campaign got under way Thursday at the Radisson Hotel in Blooming-ton. Bittner's husband, longtime Alderman Walt Bit-tner, waited to congratulate the candidate.

More than 350 supporters attended despite a major snowstorm. away from his kickoff rally that evening. It was needless. Fifteen minutes after his re-election campaign kicked off at control initiatives. He rattled off a laundry list of accom-; plishments during his tenure, including low unemployment; local jet service; the new exposition center at the McLean County fairground; and improved medical facilities.

"Chicago, watch out, we're Smart joked as he referred to a recent federal report that showed Twin City wages were second highest in the state, behind only the Windy City. The mayor said specifics of his plan will be addressed further as the campaign proceeds, but took issue with a contention by his opponent, Alderwoman Judy See SMART, back page pressed the flesh at a entrance to a conference room. By 6 p.m., when campaign co-chairman Paul Segobiano of Bloomington introduced him as "the one and only, the lovable, the cuddly bear Jesse Smart," more than 350 people had arrived to cheer on the incumbent mayor and listen to his five-point plan for the city's future. "I'm rolling up my sleeves and going to work," Smart said, as he discarded his suit jacket and pushed up his cuffs. The mayor said his campaign for a fourth and final term will focus on five key areas: continued fiscal planning; improved quality of life; an adequate, quality water supply; safe neighborhoods and streets; and new transportation and traffic Labor union yet to endorse candidate Page A7 i mi Bloomington's Radis- son Hotel, 150 people had already stopped in to wish him well.

"Thanks for being here. We appreciate you being here on a bad night Well, hi there, my friend! How are you?" said a smiling Smart as he and his wife, Susan, The PantagraphSTEVE SMEDLEY Illinois Farm Bureau delegates counted several victories in policy-making issues at the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting that concluded Thursday. Story on CI Critics of a new state livestock waste management law proposed legislation Thursday they said will correct inadequacies by restricting where large swine facilities -may be located. Story on CI Illinois State University's Redbirds lost to Northern Iowa University's Pathers 77-71 in overtime in men's basketball action Thursday night at ISU's Redbird Arena. Story on Bl Bloomington High School boys' basketball coach Rich Gordon is frustrated that the Purple Raiders have won merely two of 11 games, but players' individual growth still pleases him.

Story on Bl Telecommunication antennas would be allowed anywhere in Normal under a planned ordinance, but restrictions will mean many of the tallest towers will be restricted to agricultural and public land. Story on A5 Beginning Jan. 20, Deluxe Transportation Service Inc. will offer daily shuttle bus service between Peoria and Bloomington-Normal's airport, the Airport Authority Board learned Thursday. Story on A6 Windy and colder with snow flurries.

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