In other board action, Roger Bock, chairman of the airport committee, told the board that the new contract for the airport was going to be bid as three separate parts.

"One contract would be for an airport manager; one for the actual operations, which includes labor for upkeep; and the third contract would be for the use of the Quonset hut hangar," Bock said.

The current contract with Heritage-In-Flight has been extended until March in order for Bock to meet with the Illinois Department of Transportation to get their guidelines and views so that a workable contract can be let for bid.

Rod White, chairman of the finance committee, thanked Bock for his work and the amount of time he has spent in meeting with IDOT to resolve this issue.

Several ceremonial presentations were made, with Bill Hull of the State Bank of Lincoln presenting a copy of a book on the history of Logan County. State Bank commissioned Paul Beaver and Paul Gleason, local historians, to write the book.

Jan Schumacher, from Main Street Lincoln, presented a plaque to the board, thanking them for their cooperation in making the courthouse available again for the Festival of Trees.

Schumacher told the board that the added features of storytelling and choirs would be provided next year due to the success of the event.

The board itself recognized Carroll Catholic School girls basketball team for their success this season.

Also, Union Planters Bank received recognition for their efforts in making the purchase of the courthouse annex at Pekin and McLean streets affordable to the county. The annex will expand the county's services to the public.

[Fuzz Werth]

The construction of the Scully Building is unusual in that the floors are made of concrete. Only smoke and water damage was sustained on the lower levels. Constructing a new roof and rehabilitating the lower levels could be a costly undertaking, however. 

Abbott noted that even though 20 percent of the qualified expenses to rehabilitate the building can be used as a tax credit, the decision to restore the building is still based on economics.  "You have to find businesses and apartment dwellers who are willing to move into the building to make the restoration pay for itself," says Abbott. 

Lincoln Daily News will continue to bring you updates on the fate or fortune of this building and the businesses affected by the fire.

[Marty Ahrends]

Nearing the right position, the lead man partially opens the door from time to time to look down and check their location, giving the pilot cues to adjust the plane’s position to get ready for the jump.

When everything is just right, he pushes the door all the way up, carefully climbs out onto the wing strut and is followed immediately by the other two jumpers. All three jumpers are out there in an instant, positioned on the strut; then quickly, on cue, they jump simultaneously.

The novice in the club has been jumping for more than a year, and the most experienced in the group, Mac, has jumped out of planes close to 10,000 times. Mac, a fireman from Peoria, received the award late last year for exceeding 100 hours of free-fall time (the first 45 seconds of the jump before a chute is opened).

During the free fall, they practice making and changing formations: holding hands, then changing to hold another jumper’s feet, making different formations during their quick descent toward the ground. One jumper had a digital camera attached to his helmet, recording their experience.

As they fall, members of the jump party continuously check the altimeters on their wrists to determine when they must open their chutes to assure a safe landing. When they have fallen to between 3,000 and 2,500 feet, it is time to deploy their parachutes. The old phrase "pulling the rip cord" has become archaic. They now pull from their backpack a very small parachute that pulls the main chute out. The smaller chute opens the main chute quicker than the old still rip cord and the D-ring in front. As fabric unfurls, folds loosen, and suddenly the chute snaps open, fully cupping the air, followed by lengthening cords stretching out as the rubber-banded folds pull loose and reach full extension. The parachutist’s plummet is slowed with a great jerk.

Gone are the old days when round white canopies floated docilely down to the ground like puffs of cotton. The new-style chutes are rectangular and ribbed in sporty, brilliant tutti-frutti colors like raspberry and turquoise. The new chutes also appear to afford much greater maneuverability. The jumpers glide to earth with precision and grace as they steer their chutes with handles on each side, doing aerial acrobatics, flips in the air and dramatic movements that take your breath away (don’t try this at home, kids). Just about 6 feet above the ground, the jumper makes a last-second manipulation that slows him greatly and usually sets him down gently on both feet. The ride down on the chute is much quicker than the ride up in the plane.

For a variation, the Minier club does something called a cross-country. When the wind is very strong, usually in the spring, while miles from their airfield, they jump at 10,000 feet or higher and deploy their chutes immediately. Lincoln pilot Curt Fox recalled that about four years ago, in the days before he was flying for them, a crew went up, jumped when they were two miles west of Lincoln and made it back to the field in Minier about 25 miles away.

On this Sunday ride though, once the skydivers were away from the plane, and not having fallen out myself, the pilot did a startling dipsy-doodle maneuver to close the door, and then we began our quick descent. It was a very quick roller-coaster-like descent from 10,000 feet to the ground. I noticed that the continual change in air pressure does something to your head. Soon we were back on the ground, and I climbed out with jelly legs as the next crew of four jumpers quickly climbed in.

Thanks to Curt Fox for his information about this club and the subject matter. Thanks to pilot Marvin Shumaker from Bloomington for not letting me fall out, and thanks to the club members for sharing their love of the sport.

The Central Illinois Jump Club will be back again on Saturdays and Sundays this month to ride up to 10,000 feet and then bail out into the clear, cold sky over the Logan County Airport.

Yesterday evening, two teenage boys were seen destroying four Ford pickup trucks — all belonging to the same Lincoln man — parked at Curry Ready-Mix lot on the 1600 block of North Kickapoo. At about 6:13 p.m. an individual heard breaking glass, saw two boys and called the police. The police have not found the suspects yet. A ’67 Ford’s windshield and headlights were broken. A ’78 Ford had the same damage, plus the side mirrors were broken. An ’81 Ford had the most damage: to the windshield, the driver’s side window, both headlights, both taillights, both side mirrors, turn signal lights and a reflector. An ’84 Ford had the windshield, the passenger window, both headlights, both side mirrors and turn signal lights smashed.

The police and owners would appreciate any information you have about these thefts and vandalism. Please call the city police at 732-2151 or Crime Stoppers at 732-3000.

The Lincoln Police Department, along with the community of Lincoln, commends the following businesses for taking steps to better understand the problem of tobacco use by our youth: Green Oil Company, Quick Way Foods, Qik-n-EZ, GB Oil, Lincoln IGA, Kroger, CVS, Tobacco Warehouse, Clark Refining and Marketing, Ayerco Convenience Center, Walgreens, Fifth Street Food Mart, Wal-Mart, Eagle Country Market, Illico Independent Oil Company, Apollo Mart, Jackie and Charlie’s, Bruns Service Center, and Old Joes. Most important is their enforcement of minimum age and sales laws and youth tobacco possession laws. Thank you for your efforts.

Doug Dutz, chairman of law enforcement and the Emergency Services and Disaster Agency committee, told members that the liability of the county was significant in paying for medical care for individuals incarcerated at the jail.

"It's possible," Dutz said, "that our portion would be approximately 40 percent of the cost if we follow specific guidelines."

These costs are similar to and are based upon the same fees paid by Public Aid.

In other discussion, board member Cliff Sullivan told members that he had been in discussion with the aunt of Scott Altman, astronaut and former Lincoln resident. Sullivan said that he would like to see signs erected at the entrances to Lincoln, honoring Altman for his contributions and achievements.

The board adjourned into executive session.