Election 2000

Huyett, Fricke, county board incumbents get the vote

[MARCH 22, 2000]  In yesterday’s primary election in Logan County, the incumbent lost his bid for another term as state’s attorney, while the five incumbent county board members in the race kept their seats. In addition, a referendum asking for a quarter-of-a-cent tax to support senior citizens’ groups won by a sizable margin.

Challenger Tim Huyett regained the office of state’s attorney in a 3,985 to 2,750 victory over incumbent William Workman. Huyett served part of a term after former state’s attorney John Turner was elected as state representative but was defeated by Workman in the 1996 primary.

In a tight race for coroner, Charles Fricke defeated Paul Hennessy 3,420 to 3,259. Fricke, of Mout Pulaski, is a partner in the Fricke-Calvert-Schrader Funeral Homes and has served as Emergency Services and Disaster Agency director in Mount Pulaski. Hennessy, who works in the Logan County Circuit Clerk’s office, is presently a deputy coroner for incumbent Ed Barry. Barry chose not to run again.

All five incumbents up for reelection in the Logan County Board race retained their seats. Paul Gleason, Clifford "Sonny" Sullivan and David Hepler of Lincoln, Lloyd Hellman of Emden and Roger Bock of Williamsville, along with newcomers Jim Griffin and Dale A. Voyles will serve one two-year term until the entire board comes up for reelection in 2002.

Gleason, a former teacher, has been a board member since 1978. Bock, a farmer, was appointed last year to fill the unexpired term of Bob Welch. Hellman, also a farmer, has served six years on the board. Sullivan, a retired engineer from the Department of Corrections, and Hepler, a Lincoln chiropractor, both won their second terms. Griffin is a local businessman and Voyles has been active in many community organizations.

Challengers Marcie Altman-McCartney, Patrick O’Neill and Veronica Board Hasprey of Lincoln and Robert Buse of Beason failed to win board seats.

Referendums that passed in Logan County included one in Hartsburg for approval of no more than .05 cent tax to provide support for the Hartsburg Fire Protection District’s emergency and rescue equipment. This passed with a vote of 109 to 35. The referendum to approve a .025 cent tax levy to support services for senior citizens passed easily with a vote of 4,380 to 2,268. The referendum was put on the ballot at the request of the Oasis Senior Center, but the tax will help fund other senior services as well.

Running unopposed in the county primary for circuit clerk was Carla Bender. In state races, Robert A. Madigan was unopposed for state senator from the 45th district, and John Turner was the only Republican candidate for state representative in the 90th district. Ray LaHood, of Peoria, the representative in Congress for the 18th congressional district, ran unapposed as well.

Contested precinct committeeman races included Gloria Luster’s victory over Kathy Aylesworth Butcher in Mount Pulaski 4, Gary "Beaver" Newman’s victory over Ray Skelton in West Lincoln 5, and Betty Eaton won over Lloyd H. Slack in the West Lincoln 1 race.

On the Republican ballot, George W. Bush garnered 4,416 votes to John McCain’s 1,333. On the Democratic ballot, Al Gore won 564 votes to Bill Bradley’s 78.

In the race for delegate to the national nominating convention in the 18th congressional district, Bush delegates Ray LaHood, Robert A. Madigan, Irv Smith and Janet Donahue easily outpolled McCain delegates Stewart J. Umholtz, Darin M.LaHood, James R. Covington III and Jay K. McCracken approximately four to one.

Four alternate Bush delegates also overcame the two McCain alternates.

On the Democratic ballot the five Gore delegates, Barbara J. Gross, James K. Polk, Shirley A. McCombs, Stanley J. Valentine and Elizabeth L. Jensen, won more than four to one over the five Bradley delegates.

[LDN]

ALMH plans open house for new additions

[MARCH 22, 2000]  Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital (ALMH) will celebrate the completion of the first part of its ALMH 2000 building and renovation project with a community-wide open house on Sunday, March 26, from 2 to 4 p.m.

The first part of the ALMH 2000 project includes a new rehabilitation department and an expanded surgery area. The rehabilitation department, which outgrew its limited basement location, is now conveniently located on the first floor, allowing the department to offer additional treatments and serve more patients.

The second floor surgical suites have been renovated and modernized to meet the demanding healthcare needs of the area. "With more and more specialists coming to Lincoln to perform surgeries, the surgery area needed to be updated to accommodate today’s technologies and equipment," said Woody Hester, ALMH president and CEO.

Plans for the next phases of the ALMH 2000 project are underway, which include updating the obstetrics unit to meet the needs of young families, and renovating the existing basement space into conference and meeting rooms to accommodate the many support groups, lectures and meetings at ALMH.

ALMH 2000 was funded by contributions from friends and supporters of ALMH, with ALMH employees leading the way.

Area health care providers still serving troubled company’s clients

[MARCH 21, 2000]  Although Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital is no longer a contracted provider for one of the insurance programs offered by the financially troubled American Health Care Providers, Inc., employees of local organizations insured under the company’s Point of Service (POS) operation can still get care at the local hospital.

"Benefits may be different now for those insured under the POS," said Woody Hester, president and CEO of ALMH, "but no patients will be turned away because of the insurance company’s problems."

However, because the hospital is no longer in the POS network, the benefit levels may decrease. A health plan may offer a higher level of payment for services given by a provider in the network and a lower level of payment for out-of-network providers. In a letter to members of the POS plan, Hester suggested they call the insurance company to verify levels of coverage and availability of in-network providers.

American Health Care Providers offered another plan, an HMO, and ALMH is, as of now, still a provider for the HMO, Hester said. According to Hester, the American POS plan owes the hospital more than $150,000 and is not responding to requests for payment. The hospital is still receiving payments from the HMO.

Susan Shull, clinic manager at Family Medical Center, said the medical group is also continuing to provide care for all patients who need it, although they, like the hospital, ceased being a contracted provider for American POS as of March 13. She also noted that the level of coverage may be lower for POS members.

Two area organizations who have been insured by American Health Care Providers, Lincoln Elementary School District 27 and Logan County employees, will not have to debate the question of coverage levels long. Both are seeking coverage from new insurers. District 27 has already contracted with Country Companies for health insurance, which will take effect April 1. In the meantime, District 27 employees, who were all originally enrolled in the POS, have been transferred into the HMO and are still receiving medical coverage.

The Logan County Board’s Insurance Committee has hired an insurance consultant, Clemens and Associate Life Agency Ltd. of Bloomington, to help find new health insurance for county employees. The insurance committee is still in the process of bidding for a new provider but may be making a decision at an April 11 meeting. The county employees who were enrolled in the POS have also been transferred to the HMO, a county spokesperson said.

Halting service as a contracted provider for American’s POS was "the only prudent course for ALMH to pursue," Hester said. "I want everyone in the community to know we regret this has happened. We had to take this action as a last resort, and we will continue to provide services to any patients participating in American Health Care Plans.

"We have not turned anyone away since 1898," he added. On that date, Deaconess Hospital opened, bringing the first organized health care to the community. Deaconess later became Abraham Lincoln Hospital.

In February, the Illinois Department of Insurance petitioned the Circuit Court of Cook County asking that American Health Care Providers be declared insolvent and liquidated. Since that time the company has been in receivership, with the Department of Insurance in control of its assets.

The next hearing on the case is Friday, March 24. However, no decision may be made by that date, and even if the company is declared bankrupt, it may appeal, a spokesman for the Department of Insurance said.

[Joan Crabb]

One old, one new

Businesses moving to Woodlawn Road

[MARCH 20, 2000]  Two new buildings are going up on Woodlawn Road, one to house a new Walgreens and the other to combine three existing Lincoln businesses, Gossett’s Drive-In Cleaners, Broadway Cleaners and the 5th Street Wash House.

Work at the Walgreens site, on the corner of Woodlawn Road and College Street, is still in the demolition stage, according to Les Last, Lincoln building and safety officer, while a little farther west the foundations have already been laid for the dry cleaning-laundromat facility. "The foundation is in and they’re starting to put up steel," he said.

The dry cleaning and laundromat business is owned by Marvin and Joyce Board, and the new establishment at 623 Woodlawn will continue to be a family operation.

[The Board brothers work on site at the new location for the family's laundromat/dry cleaners facility.]

"Last year we decided we needed to expand," said Vicki Board Hasprey, operator-manager of Broadway Cleaners. "We’ve done upgrades and expansion on the Broadway building and the Wash House, but there’s just not enough room. We found a lot and we are putting all three businesses under one roof."

The new 7,000 square foot building will house the laundromat, the dry cleaning plant and four tanning beds and will have a drive-through drop-off and pick-up lane. Hasprey said the family will keep all current employees, both full and part time, and will probably add several more. She said plans are to keep the laundromat open 24 hours a day for the convenience of second and third shift workers.

Scott, Victor and Doug Board are acting as general contractors for the new building. Scott Board said he hopes to have the new facility open in September or October. He said the family has not yet chosen a name for the new business and is considering having a contest to let customers help make the choice.

"We haven’t got a schedule yet, but with the newer, bigger facility we will be able to cover a lot more hours than we do now," he said. At this time plans call for closing Gossett’s at 311 Broadway Street and the 5th Street Wash House at 500 Fifth Street, Board said. He said the family is considering keeping Broadway Cleaners, 1028 Broadway, open for the convenience of regular customers in that area.

The Board family has been operating Broadway Cleaners since 1995 and the 5th Street Wash House since 1991. The Gossett’s cleaning business was purchased in July of 1999.

The Walgreens building site on Woodlawn Road and College Street has been the home of automobile dealerships for many years, most recently Five Star Motors. Its replacement will be a 15,120 square foot building with room for 73 parking spaces. The building will house a pharmacy, retail sales and a one-hour photo developing area, according to the building permit.

Walgreens will be the seventh pharmacy in the Lincoln area, located almost across the street from CVS Pharmacy in the Kroger shopping center and a half block from the pharmacy at the Family Medical Center. A Medicap pharmacy is located nearby at 709 Woodlawn Road. Others in the area include the pharmacy at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital, Graue Pharmacy at 602 Keokuk Street, and a pharmacy at the Lincoln Wal-Mart store.

[Last week demolition crews destroyed the 
former 5-Star Motors.  This property will be the 
home for Lincoln's new Walgreens, which
 is scheduled to open over the summer.]

A spokesperson for Joe Hurwitz of the Blackstone Group in Springfield, listed on the building permit as owner or lessee, said the Walgreens facility would probably be open in July or early August. Contractor for the Walgreens facility is Ken Williams of Buzard-Williams, also of Springfield.

[Joan Crabb]

Christian Coalition officials meet Presidential hopeful

[MARCH 20, 2000]  Last Thursday in Springfield, Texas Governor and Presidential hopeful George W. Bush was met by John Dickey, executive director of Illinois Christian Coalition, and Bob Wood, the Logan County Christian Coalition chapter chairman, at the Sangamon County Lincoln Day Dinner. A capacity crowd of over a thousand people listened to Bush as he set his agenda toward his bid for the 2000 Presidential race. Reflecting on the assembly, Dickey stated, "It is great to hear from the candidates and to listen to their plans for the future."

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