[MAY 26, 2001]  The Rev. James Cravens of Trinity Episcopal Church in Lincoln will be the guest speaker at the Memorial Day services at 10:30 a.m. Monday, May 28, on the courthouse lawn in Lincoln.

Cravens has been a military man for many years. He serves as deputy fleet chaplain, director of reserve religious ministries, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, Norfolk, Va.

Tom Gerdts of Lincoln Christian Church will give the invocation and benediction at the ceremony.

Tom Murray is in charge of the firing squad, and Haydn Gerdts will play "Taps." C. Wayne Schrader is the master of ceremonies. The auxiliaries will participate in the laying of the wreath.

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The local veterans sponsor the Memorial Day services. Ham and beans will be served at the American Legion Post 263 hall in Lincoln after the ceremony.

All the people of Lincoln and the surrounding area are encouraged to take time to honor and remember those young men and women who gave their lives so we can remain a free nation. Remember, freedom is not free.

[News release]

[MAY 26, 2001]  There are two theories about the origin of Memorial Day, formerly called Decoration Day. The first people to celebrate it may have been the Southern women who spread flowers on the graves of veterans. Or the founder may have been Union Gen. John A. Logan, who decided after the Civil War that the United States needed to honor the war dead and followed through with a speech at Arlington National Cemetery in 1868. Gen. Logan was the son of Dr. John Logan, the Illinois General Assembly colleague of Abraham Lincoln after whom Logan County was named.

In 1971 Decoration Day officially became Memorial Day, and Congress declared the last Monday of May as the day to honor all military personnel who died in service to this country. Many families use the day to decorate all their graves, but officially it is devoted to those who died while in military service.

[C. Wayne Schrader is a student of the history of Memorial Day.]

According to C. Wayne Schrader, finance officer and past commander of American Legion Logan Post 263, the number of volleys, the playing of "Taps" and the timing of the ceremony are grounded in history. He said that firing squads used to be restricted to seven members, so a 21-gun salute was seven riflemen firing three volleys each. At Monday’s service the squad will probably be somewhat larger but will fire the traditional three volleys.

"Taps" was composed by Union Gen. Daniel Butterfield in 1862. His men had begun to falter, and he himself was seriously wounded. When he learned from President Lincoln that there would be no reinforcements, Butterfield sought a way to bring comfort and peace to his tired men. He hummed the sounds he wanted, and his bugler, Oliver W. Norton, wrote the seven notes on the back of an old envelope. When Norton first played the song on July 2, 1862, the effect was magical, and soon it was being heard throughout the Army of the Potomac. A few days later it was used for the first time at the funeral of a fallen soldier. In 1874 the U.S. Army officially adopted "Taps."

When the armistice ending World War I was signed, Gen John J. Pershing asked Hartley B. Edwards, an American soldier, to play a final "Taps." The hour was 11 a.m. Organizers of the Lincoln Memorial Day service try to time the program so "Taps" is played at that same hour.

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In anticipation of the Memorial Day service, the American Legion will distribute poppies Friday and Saturday, May 25 and 26. Schrader said that all poppies are made by hospitalized veterans, who receive three cents for each poppy they make. All other money collected in Lincoln will be sent to rehabilitation units in veterans hospitals. Schrader is one of four judges of the local poppy poster contest for school-age children. The winning poster in the oldest class is sent to the national competition, where the first-place prize is a scholarship.

A few days before Memorial Day Greg Fitzpatrick leads a crew who place flags on the graves of all former American Legion members buried near Lincoln. About 900 flags are placed.

Schrader himself has spoken at Memorial Day programs and often uses the poem "Freedom Is Not Free," written by Cadet Maj. Kelly Strong, a Homestead, Fla., high school student and member of Air Force Junior ROTC. Schrader quotes the title to emphasize the cost in human life of the democratic institutions citizens sometimes take for granted. Memorial Day is the time set aside to remember the sacrifice of so many lives in war.

Veterans Day, celebrated Nov. 11, differs from Memorial Day in that it honors all veterans, living and dead, whereas Memorial Day honors only the dead.

Schrader hopes for a good attendance at this year’s service. He also wishes that every veteran would join a veterans organization. He points out that all were founded to help veterans and that the organizations have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on hospitals and assistance to families.

[Lynn Spellman]

[MAY 26, 2001]  A historic agreement on a congressional map and the establishment of task forces to study Illinois election procedures and the expansion of the state’s KidCare program highlight Senate action this week, according to Sen. Bob Madigan, R-Lincoln.

The new map, which eliminates one district as dictated by the 2000 census figures, marks an agreement by congressional map negotiators. This historic bipartisan agreement means the state will not have to argue in the courts, as in previous decades. The proposed maps (HB 2917) are now pending approval in the House of Representatives.

Senate Resolution 153, adopted by the Senate Executive Committee, creates the Senate Task Force on Integrity in Voting. The task force will examine the state’s voting process and election technology in the light of last year’s events in the Florida election.

Senate Resolution 152 proposes an examination of the state’s KidCare program before the program is expanded to include families.

McCormick Place (HB 263) — Allows expansion of the state’s premier convention and exposition center and creates a fund for statewide economic development purposes.

Boeing (HB 1655) — Authorizes a $64.1 million ($41.1 million state assistance, $23 million Chicago assistance) in economic incentives to the Boeing Corporation as they prepare to move their headquarters to Chicago, a move which is projected to bring 500 jobs and $4.3 billion in revenues to Illinois over the next 20 years.

Abandoned babies (SB 216/HB 632) — Allows parents of newborn infants to leave their baby at a safe haven (church, hospital, fire station, etc.) for purposes of adoption without any civil or criminal repercussions.

Child support (SB 950) — Publishes a list naming 200 child-support deadbeats who owe $5,000 or more in back support. (SB 993) — Notifies parents who are 30 days late (or more) on child-support payments that simple interest will accrue at the rate of 9 percent.

Unattended children (SB 28) — Sets penalties for adults who leave young children unattended in a motor vehicle.

Tobacco (HB 2254) — Creates a unique driver’s license format for those younger than age 19 to prevent underage purchase of tobacco.

Alcohol delivery (HB 1000) — Requires delivery people to get the signature of someone at least 21 years old when delivering alcohol.

Sweepstakes fraud (SB 797) — Protects consumers from sweepstakes fraud by requiring mailings to state clearly that no purchase is necessary, disclose all information and award the prize within 30 days.

Restricted call registry (HB 176) — Creates the statewide Restricted Call Registry for consumers who do not want to be called by telemarketing sales companies.

Halal food (SB 750) — Makes it a Class B misdemeanor to misrepresent food as being halal, food that is prepared under the strict compliance with laws and customs of the Islamic religion.

Pupillometers (SB 1517) — Creates a pilot program using Pupillometers for drug tests of prison inmates with drug and alcohol abuse problems.

FOID cards (SB 1065) — Provides more oversight for the FOID card application process, tightens the FOID card felony exemption, creates a new offense for anyone falsifying a FOID card application, uses driver’s license photos to confirm identities and cracks down on repeat FOID card offenders. (HB 1942) — Sets Class 2 felony penalties for any person who forges or materially alters or counterfeits a FOID card or possesses a card that has been forged, altered or counterfeited.

Project Exile (HB 231) — Encourages the federal prosecution of anyone who illegally uses firearms in crimes against others.

Seized property (SB 1098) — Requires law enforcement agencies to return vehicles or vehicle parts that were seized for evidence in the same condition they were at the time they were seized, unless criminal charges are pending or stolen parts have been removed.

Videotaped testimony (SB 401) — Allows videotaped testimony of a mentally disabled victim who is not institutionalized to be admitted into evidence in the same manner that testimony of an institutionalized victim or the testimony of a child victim can be admitted into evidence.

DUI fines (SB 64) — Increases the fine DUI offenders pay to trauma centers from $25 to $100 for a first offense and $200 for a subsequent offense. Creates an additional $5 fine to benefit research on spinal cord injury paralysis.

Gang crime (HB 1812) — Strengthens penalties for street gang members who violate laws against murder, assault and battery.

Aggravated DUI (SB 2290) — Allows for extended term sentencing on all aggravated DUI convictions rather than just those resulting in great bodily harm or permanent disability.

Crime victims (HB 2865) — Adds stalking and aggravated stalking to the list of crimes for which victims can be compensated through the Crime Victims Compensation Act. (HB 863) — Allows the court to accept a victim impact statement from family members of the victim.

Aggravated Arson (HB 2295) — Expands aggravated arson to include damage to a house trailer, watercraft, motor vehicle or railroad car.

Multiple felonies (HB 2300) — Allows out-of-state convictions to count in determining sentencing.

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School budgets (SB 898) — Requires school districts with websites to post their current annual budget, itemized by receipts and expenditures.

Education license plates (SB 1521) — Creates education license plates with funds benefiting scholarships for teachers. Illinois school children will design the special plates in a statewide contest.

College savings (SB 902) — Creates a state income tax deduction for contributions to Bright Start, the treasurer’s college savings plan on which earnings are already tax deferred.

Abuse (HB 3055) — Includes in a child’s permanent school record information about investigations of suspected abuse and neglect.

MAP grants (SB 406) — Increases the maximum Monetary Award Program grants for undergraduate students.

Alcohol and school (HB 445) — Prohibits the consumption of alcohol on public school property.

Safe to Learn (HB 678) — Extends the Safe to Learn Program in Illinois schools to July 1, 2005, a three-year extension.

Teachers (HB 1048) — Requires Internet posting of unfilled teaching positions in Illinois.

Tax equivalent grants (SB 326) — Allows school districts (except Chicago) to receive tax-equivalent grants if a United States military installation or base is located in its boundaries and children from the base attend schools in the district.

GOVERNMENT

Emergency notice (HB 1694) — Allows public safety agencies to utilize unlisted numbers in emergency situations, such as snow emergencies, for reverse 911 calls.

Miami lawsuit (HB 1623) — Extends the legal defense fund to assist landowners in the Miami Nation lawsuit through FY 2002.

Energy efficiency (SB 606) — Offers low-interest loans for energy efficiency improvements in governmental, commercial and certain multi-family buildings.

Small business (SB 1522) — Make plain-language descriptions of laws or administrative rules affecting small businesses available on the Internet.

HEALTH

Vaccinations (SB 1305) — Does not allow officials to decide that a child is neglected or abused for the sole reason that the child’s parents or guardians did not vaccinate the child.

Insurance discrimination (SB 869) — Prohibits unfair discrimination based upon race, color, religion or national origin by life, accident and health insurance policies.

Genetic testing (SB 42) — Prohibits insurance companies from using genetic testing information in connection with accident and health insurance policies.

Infectious diseases (SB 382) — Notifies firefighters and emergency medical technicians, as well as other medical professionals, when they have treated a patient with a communicable or infectious disease.

Insurance (SB 935) — Requires insurance companies to notify their health insurance customers of changes in lists containing information about the prices of approved medications.

DNR (HB 2276) — Requires a uniform do-not-resuscitate order form for use by physicians.

Nursing scholarships (HB 2436) — Increases the number of scholarships available for nurses who plan to practice in Illinois.

Fetus burial (HB 382) — Allows parents to bury or cremate a child miscarried after less than 20 weeks of gestation.

Car keys (SB 115) — Car dealers may not issue replacement keys for a vehicle without making a copy of the person’s driver’s license and keeping it on file.

Disabled parking (HB 846) — Limits who can receive disabled parking permits and makes it illegal to park in access areas to disabled parking spaces.

After-school programs (SR 70) — Asks the State Board of Education and Illinois Department of Human Services to convene and co-chair a task force to promote quality after-school programs for school-age children.

Casinos (SR 88) — Objects to the construction of large casinos along the Illinois border, specifically in Wisconsin, and urges the Bureau of Indian Affairs to halt construction of such casinos until the citizens of Illinois have a chance to voice their concerns.

Flag Month (HJR 6) — Declares June 14 through July 14 as American Flag Month.

Purple Heart stamps (HJR 13) — Urges the Postal Service to issue a Purple Heart stamp, honoring those veterans who received the Purple Heart Medal of Merit.

Pearl Harbor (SJR 6) — Urges all state agencies, schools, organizations, groups and individuals to fly the United States’ flag at half-mast on Dec. 7 in honor of the men and women who died at Pearl Harbor.

Retired teachers (SJR 32) -- Addresses concerns by retired teachers throughout Illinois that a proposed 70 percent increase in health insurance premiums is too high, asking for an increase similar to previous years (approximately 6 percent) and establishing a task force to investigate the problems.

[News release]

[MAY 25, 2001]  American Legion veterans will be distributing poppies this weekend. If you see these guys, go out of your way to get a poppy. They are handmade by veterans in VA hospitals. All of your donation goes directly to the disabled veterans who made them and to the hospitals.

[MAY 25, 2001]  Lincoln’s city attorney, Jonathan Wright, has announced that he is a candidate for the seat in the Illinois House of Representatives being vacated by Rep. John Turner of Atlanta. Wright’s candidacy brings the number of those vying for the seat to at least seven, three of them from Lincoln.

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[MAY 24, 2001]  Its questions about fees answered, the Lincoln City Council approved a three-year contract with Logan County for animal-control services.

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[Joan Crabb]

[MAY 22, 2001]  Integrity Data, a technology consulting and computer programming organization, has recently completed renovations of its new office at 110 N. Kickapoo St. in downtown Lincoln. Integrity Data purchased the former Schick buildings at 604 Broadway and 110 N. Kickapoo St. The firm’s new office space is on the second floor of the Kickapoo Street side of the building, which is now referred to as the Integrity Building. Midwest Bible School will occupy the first floor of the building.

Integrity Data designs and develops custom computer software solutions to improve business management processes. A majority of Integrity Data’s clients are organizations that use software developed by Great Plains Business Solutions, which was recently acquired by Microsoft. Integrity Data’s clients are located in all regions of the United States. Integrity Data develops its products using the latest software development tools and data management systems from Microsoft and Great Plains. In addition to its core business, Integrity Data also offers communication and computer network cable installation services.

Integrity Data, Inc. is owned and operated by Patrick Doolin, a Lincoln native, and Mark Hisken of Willmar, Minn. Hisken manages the Integrity Data office in Minnesota.

The downtown Lincoln location is an attractive investment due to the opportunity to enhance an otherwise vacant building, as well as bring a new type of business to the local economy and, in doing so, demonstrate that Lincoln is a business-oriented community.

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The building located at 604 Broadway, which faces the courthouse, encompasses nearly 6,000 square feet and became available for lease on May 1.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony and public open house was from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday, May 21, at the main entrance, located at 110 N. Kickapoo St.

[News release]

[MAY 22, 2001]  The Lincoln City Council chamber had a full house Monday evening for a presentation by the Rev. S.M. Davis. Davis presented a proposal to erect a giant statue of Abraham Lincoln depicting him christening the town of Lincoln with watermelon juice.

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[Lincoln Scout Troop 102 attended the council meeting May 21 as part of their work toward a merit badge in communications. Right to left, front row, are Aaron Uphoff, Joe Gillen, Aaron Meyrick and Sean Weaver. Left to right, back row, are Cory Bell, Marty Oltmanns, Andy (Jesse) Cummings and assistant troop leader David Weaver.]

[MAY 22, 2001]  Seven people attended the first meeting of the Logan County Arts Association, formed to promote the arts and make them an integral part of life in Logan County. Marshall Jacobs chaired the meeting Monday night at Lincoln Public Library.

The group considered issues raised by a constitution and other documents composed by Jacobs during the last two months. After input has been incorporated, the final copy of the constitution will be drawn up by an attorney, and the group will apply for tax-exempt status as a charitable organization. Jacobs said he has already written Sen. Bob Madigan and Rep. John Turner asking for start-up funds from Illinois First.

[Louella Moreland and Dan Bailey, both active in Lincoln Community Theatre, made suggestions for revising the constitution of the Logan County Arts Association.]

As modified by the group, the constitution defines a three-tiered plan of organization, consisting of the general membership, the board of directors and the executive committee, which will include the officers and one other board member.

One working paper identified eight classes of members, based on monetary contribution and named with various terms from the arts such as cast, orchestra and choreographer. The group spent some time suggesting names that would represent all the artistic disciplines: visual, dance, music, theater and literature.

Monetary levels of membership range from $25 to $5,000. Jacobs said the range should be broad to include corporate giving, matching funds programs and estate planning potential.

Jacobs first became interested in forming the association when he discovered that committees putting on local festivals did not always know about available sources of funding and that Logan County did not have an arts association to inform them. He sees the association as a complement to other organizations already in existence, such as the Lincoln Logan County Chamber of Commerce and Looking for Lincoln.

A preliminary meeting to gauge interest in an arts association was held a month ago, with Sen. Madigan and Rep. Turner present. Out of that meeting came a founding board of five directors, three of whom were present Monday: Jacobs, Richard Sumrall and Chris Gray. They signed a document establishing the Logan County Arts Association as an organization in the state of Illinois. The other founding directors are Jean Gossett and Larry Steffens.

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[Chris Gray, Richard Sumrall and Marshall Jacobs are among the founding directors of the Logan County Arts Association. Jacobs chairs the group.]

Of the two major roles played by arts councils, hands-on or facilitative, Jacobs is primarily interested in the latter, seeing the arts association as a clearinghouse of information for other organizations. However, the issue has not yet been decided by the association, and at some time it may offer classes or conduct other hands-on activities.

Programs supported by other arts associations include bringing in artists from outside the area as well as encouraging and supporting local artists. In addition, Jacobs said, the Illinois Arts Council has an initiative for increasing arts in the school system.

One of several statements of the group’s mission includes the possibility of involvement beyond Logan County, saying that the association is formed "exclusively for the educational purpose of encouraging and promoting the study and cultivation of the arts in Logan County and adjoining counties." Jacobs said people from Clinton have expressed interest in working with the new association. Logan and DeWitt counties are complementary in the arts, he said, because Lincoln has a greater emphasis on performing arts and Clinton on visual arts.

Another possibility mentioned by Jacobs is working with the Chamber to acquire the Lincoln theater building and adapt it to provide areas for dramatic performances and for display of visual arts. The building, classified as a "contributing historical structure," was dedicated on Lincoln’s birthday in 1923.

Jacobs, who has worked five years for the Springfield Zoological Society, holds an MBA in finance and has experience in grant-writing. Last weekend he attended a seminar sponsored by the Illinois Arts Council and the Illinois Arts Association. He chose sessions on technological implementation and talked with consultants from Chicago about creating and using databases for arts associations.

The Logan County Arts Association meets on the third Monday of the month at Lincoln Public Library at 6:30 p.m. Anyone interested in promoting the arts in Logan County is encouraged to attend.

[Lynn Spellman]

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