Eastern Illinois University The Keep February 1998 2-27-1998 Daily Eastern News: February 27, 1998 Eastern Illinois University Follow this and additional works at: http://thekeep.eiu.edu/den_1998_feb Recommended Citation Eastern Illinois University, "Daily Eastern News: February 27, 1998" (1998). February. 8. http://thekeep.eiu.edu/den_1998_feb/8 This is brought to you for free and open access by the 1998 at The Keep. It has been accepted for inclusion in February by an authorized administrator of The Keep. For more information, please contact [email protected]. RAIN Two in a high of 53º The INSIDE a row Daily Men’s track Eastern team looks to repeat as FRIDAY Eastern Illinois University OVC indoor Charleston, Ill. 61920 February 27, 1998 champions Vol. 83, No. 109 Four contestants to compete in 2 sections, 16 pages the 22nd annual Miss Black PAGE EIU pageant News 8A SECTION B “Tell the truth and don’t be afraid” Police fail to cite underage victim By JILL JEDLOWSKI Assoc. news editor One of five Eastern students who were Charleston police attacked Friday morning after leaving Mother’s Bar said he is not of legal drinking age and had to conduct photo been drinking, yet Charleston police officers did not issue him a citation for any underage drinking violations or false identification. lineup of suspects Jason Christeson, a freshman physical education major and Panther wrestler in the By JILL JEDLOWSKI 177-190 weight class, said Tuesday he was one Assoc. news editor of the last two students to leave the bar before he and four other students were attacked. He Several witnesses later identified himself to a police officer as 21- today will view a year-old Jeremy Christianson. photograph lineup Christeson said Tuesday that he and provided by the Michael DeMarco were the last of the five Charleston Police students involved in the incident to leave the Department in hopes of ANNA BETZELBERGER/Associate photo editor bar. Christeson said he was attacked by an identifying the “three Jamie Torbert, a recovering anorexic and bulimic, tells her story of eating disorder unknown man and cracked across the ribs with or more” men who struggles Thursday night in the Union Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. Paul Lechtenberg a tire iron. allegedly attacked and University Union.. Outside the bar, located at 506 Monroe injured five Eastern Ave., the students were attacked by at least students Feb. 20 outside Mother’s Bar, said three unknown men who used at least one tire Lt. Rick Fisher, Charleston chief of ‘She saved my life’ iron as a weapon, said Lt. Rick Fisher, detectives. Charleston Police Department’s chief of Fisher said three separate incidents Students tell how Eastern counselor helped detectives. apparently took place inside and outside the All five students involved were reportedly bar, beginning with a confrontation inside them fight, recover from eating disorders injured: Paul Lechtenberg, a junior physical the bar and ending with the five students education major; Rob Serio, a senior physical dodging a tire iron that a man was swinging. By LAURA IRVINE disorders Thursday night to a crowd of education major; Jonathan Ryan, a junior All five were reportedly injured during the Staff writer about 300 people during a lecture held sociology major; Michael DeMarco; and incident, which occurred at about 1:10 a.m., in conjunction with Eating Disorders Christeson. Serio, Ryan and DeMarco were Fisher said. Jamie Torbert said an Eastern Awareness Week. treated and released at the Sarah Bush Lincoln Paul Lechtenberg, a junior physical counselor “saved her life.” Mike Ringhouse, a recovering Health Center in Mattoon. education major and heavyweight Panther Tobert, a senior psychology major, bulimic and former student, said he was Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center has no wrestler from Bloomingdale, is the only one said Linda Anderson, a member of the put on his first diet at age 7. record of treating Christeson, who confirmed of the five students involved who is still Counseling Center, helped her fight a “I always tried to be a perfect child Tuesday that he had not sought medical help hospitalized. He was listed in fair condition battle with anorexia and bulimia. and my bulimia got so bad that I lost all after the incident. Thursday at Carle Clinic in Champaign, said “For a while, things were under of my friends,” Ringhouse said. “When Lechtenberg is still hospitalized in fair Diane Williford, a floor nurse. control, but when I came to college, I lost weight, I liked it. However, I was condition at Carle Clinic in Champaign for a Three of the attack victims were treated things became bad again. My parents embarrassed because I knew that other blow he received to the side of the head. See LINEUP page 2A threatened to put me in a hospital and people didn’t do what I was doing.” Lechtenberg’s assailant allegedly beat him with that’s when I went to see Linda Ringhouse said he also went to seek a tire iron on the corner of Fifth Street and Christeson’s age right now because his main Anderson,” Torbert said. counseling with Anderson and spoke Monroe Avenue. priority is to solve this case. She said she had “always been a very highly of her. Fisher said Thursday that he was unaware “Officers are not going to stand around perfectionist” and that “anorexia Torbert and Ringhouse also gave a that Christeson had given a false name to the playing mind games when there are people on controlled (her) life.” slide show that gave facts and statistics officer who arrived at the incident, adding that the scene who are injured,” Fisher said. Tobert was one of three students on anorexia and bulimia as well as tips he thought that all five victims were “over 21.” Citing that the amount and extent of injuries who shared their stories of eating See DISORDER page 2A Fisher said he was “not too concerned” with See POLICE page 2A Mayor to decide whether bar will be fined for serving minors By JAIME HODGE illegally served alcohol. The second hands stamped would then video surveillance camera at the faces a minimum of a $1,000 fine City editor account contains 15 counts, with 12 allegedly lend their identification to entrance to Ted’s to admit as and/or a 30-day closing. minors frequenting a licensed minors who were waiting outside. evidence to him as the liquor However, Cougill said the Charleston Mayor Cougill will premises and three minors illegally Minors would sometimes gain commissioner. Bertuca said he does minimum is not indicative of what decide by noon today if Ted’s served alcohol. access inside the bar by using the not have such a camera at this time the penalty could possibly be. Entertainment & Sports Bar, 102 N. Bertuca represented himself and first person’s identification. but has considered installing a “Each one of them could be Sixth St., will receive a penalty for said he did not know about the Bertuca entered a plea of guilty video surveillance camera at the $1,000, if we wanted them to be,” allowing minors to enter Ted’s and nature of the violations. He said and said he would comply with front of Ted’s since these charges Cougill said. for serving minors alcohol. people would enter Ted’s after whatever Cougill deemed were brought against him to prevent If Ted’s receives an order to Ted’s owner Joseph Bertuca is showing proof of identification and appropriate to prevent minors from repeat occurrences. close down for a period of time, it being charged with two separate would have their hands stamped. frequenting Ted’s. Possible penalties are a will not be for at least another 20 counts of liquor violations. The first People were allowed to leave the “We’ll make all the necessary minimum of $200 fine and/or a days from today at noon, when incident took place Feb. 7 and the building when they said they changes. Me, the staff, everybody. three-day closing of Ted’s for the Cougill’s decision will be handed second took place Feb. 11. The first needed to get their cigarettes, put I’ve never had problems with the first offense and a minimum of a down, Cougill said. This period is account contains seven violations, their sweater in their car or other law before; I want to abide,” $500 fine and/or a seven-day provided by law for people in with five minors frequenting a such excuses, Bertuca said. Bertuca said. closing for the second offense. If a licensed premises and two minors People who already had their Cougill asked if Bertuca had a third offense is determined, Ted’s See TED’s page 2A 2A Friday, February 27, 1998 The Daily Eastern News LeBaron stolen with RHA approves weekend theme By LAURA BREAULT provide a “bar alternative” for stu- “The games promise to be mem- Staff writer dents also was discussed at the orable and entertaining to all partic- keys and all meeting. The “bar alternative” ipants,” said RHA representative Police The Residence Hall Association would be a late night coffee house. Dan Wagner. Reporting campus and city BLOTTER Thursday voted on a theme for “The coffee house would be The games would include a crimes every Tuesday and Friday Little People’s Weekend, which located on campus and would give pizza eating contest, root beer chug- will be held April 24 and 25. students something to do in ging and a scholastic bowl. Teams The theme for this year’s Little Charleston instead of going to the will be made up of members from Linda Wass, 56, of 1702 at $250, a pair of metal scissors People’s Weekend is “We Go bars,” said RHA president Amanda all 12 halls throughout campus.