Murder case brings out candidates

A grisly murder spree the past summer that left five Whiteside County residents dead has polarized the normally placid state's attorney's race, easily making it the county's most closely watched contest. Whiteside County State's Attorney Gary Spencer, 59, of Morrison, a Republican, was first appointed to the office in 1981 and has been elected to six consecutive 4-year terms. He is facing opposition for the first time in a general election since 1984. Both write-in opponents are: Amy Huffman, 33, of Sterling, a Lee County assistant state's attorney and one of Spencer's former interns, and Elwin Neal, 61, of Rock Falls, a Whiteside County assistant public defender for 17 years who also has a private practice in Sterling. The two emerged in l