Friday, July 26

[JULY 26, 2002]  Ten young women are contestants for Miss Logan County Fair 2002.

[Click on photos to enlarge]

Angela Balance — 20-year-old daughter of Sam and Priscilla, Emden; 2000 graduate of Hartsburg-Emden High School; junior at Eureka College; major in business administration

Lisa Behle — 18-year-old daughter of Judge Donald and Donna, Lincoln; 2002 graduate of Lincoln Community High School; University of Illinois, Champaign; political science

Carrie Hoffert — 19-year-old daughter of Darwin and Beth, Lincoln; 2001 graduate of Lincoln Community High School; sophomore at Lincoln College; nursing

Holly Ingram — 20-year-old daughter of Robin and Duane, Lincoln; 2000 graduate of Lincoln Community High School; junior at Lincoln Land Community College; ag business

Summer Johnson — 19-year-old daughter of Don and Holly, Lincoln; 2001 graduate of Lincoln Community High School; sophomore at Illinois State University; Spanish

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Katherine Ogelsby — 18-year-old daughter of Carl and Julie, Lake Fork; 2002 graduate of Mount Pulaski High School; Millikin University; nursing

Christy Peters — 19-year-old daughter of Pastor Mark and Bonita, Lincoln; 2001 graduate of Lincoln Community High School; sophomore at Heartland Community College; social work

Amy Rohrer — 20-year-old daughter of Jim and Deborah, Lincoln; 2000 graduate of Lincoln Community High School; junior at Western Illinois University; sports medicine, with emphasis on athletic training

Rebecca Ruben — 20-year-old daughter of Charles and Carol, Hartsburg; 2000 graduate of Hartsburg-Emden Community High School; 2002 graduate of Lincoln College; will be a junior at Millikin University; music education/vocal training

Kate Wrage — 19-year-old daughter of Kurt and Lisa, Emden; 2001 graduate of Hartsburg-Emden High School; sophomore at Culver-Stockton; nursing

(Article originally posted Thursday afternoon)

[JULY 25, 2002]  The Illinois Supreme Court today blocked any further involuntary moves of residents from the Lincoln Developmental Center until it decides whether to hear the case brought by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and other plaintiffs.

The order grants another reprieve to the 125-year-old Lincoln facility for the developmentally disabled, which has been fighting to remain open since June, when the Department of Human Services and Gov. George Ryan announced a decision to close it completely. DHS and Ryan charged that incidents of abuse and neglect made LDC unsafe for its residents.

The Supreme Court’s action reinstates the second temporary restraining order issued by Logan County Circuit Court Associate Judge Donald Behle on July l. On July 10, the 4th District Appellate Court in Springfield dissolved Judge Behle’s temporary restraining order, because, they said, the plaintiffs, as private citizens, did not have the right to take legal action.

Plaintiffs, along with AFSCME, which represents most LDC employees, are Don Todd, AFSCME Local 425 president; state Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield; and Norlan and Eleanor Newmister, parents of an LDC resident.

Anne Irving, AFSCME Council 31 director of public policy, said there is no firm date by which the Supreme Court must decide whether to take the appeal, but the court could decide as early as next week.

The appeal would decide whether DHS can move residents from LDC without the permission of the residents or their guardians until the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board decides whether to issue a permit to close the Lincoln facility.

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That board is expected to meet and make a decision on Aug. 15. A July 15 hearing in Lincoln before a representative of the board brought overwhelming support from members of the Lincoln community, parents and LDC employees for keeping LDC open.

Before making its decision the board will study a transcript of the hearing and a review by the Illinois Department of Public Health as well as written material submitted by the Department of Human Services, LDC parents and employees, and community members.

Dan Senters, local AFSCME spokesman, said that since the Appellate Court dissolved the injunction on July 10, 17 residents have been moved to other facilities without their consent. About 50 residents, many of them wards of the Office of the State Guardian, had received consent to move before Judge Behle’s July 1 ruling and have also been moved, most of them to other state-operated facilities.

At present, Senters said, 171 residents still remain on the LDC campus. He said the AFSCME local is working to let guardians know about their current right not to have their family members moved from LDC. The union is also asking that it be notified of any former LDC resident who has been moved because of the downsizing and who is having problems adjusting to a new placement.

Senters also said members who want to attend the Aug. 15 planning board meeting should call the office at 735-1342.

[Joan Crabb]

Today, Friday, July 26 —

Your last chance to express LDC support

(Article originally posted Thursday afternoon)

[JULY 25, 2002]  Friday is the last day to get your LDC opinion heard when and where it counts. You can still get your written comments into the hands of those who will soon be deciding the fate of this institution. Written documentation must be received by the office of the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board by the end of the day Friday.

You can do this by faxing your comments to the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board.

Fax: (217) 785-4308

Addressed: Lincoln Developmental Center Hearing

Use the following five criteria set forth by the board to make your plea opposing closure of LDC:

(Criteria for closure)

•  First, that the reasons for the discontinuation are valid.

•  Second, that the discontinuation will not adversely affect services needed by the planning area.

•  Third, that the discontinuation project will not have an adverse effect on the health delivery system by creating demand for services that cannot be met by existing area facilities.

•  Fourth, the discontinuation project must be in the public interest and not cause area residents unnecessary hardship by limiting access to needed services. It must consider the effect of the proposed discontinuation on the ability of low-income people, racial and ethnic minorities, women, handicapped people, the elderly and other under-served groups to obtain needed health care.

•  Fifth, the applicant must state the use to which the physical plant and equipment will be put once discontinuation takes place.

The board will be meeting Aug. 15 to discuss closing the facility.

Lincoln Developmental Center, Lincoln (#02-042)

In accordance with the requirements of the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act, notice is given of receipt of an application for permit for a proposed construction and/or modification project (#02-042) from the Illinois Department of Human Services, Office of Developmental Disabilities, Springfield, Illinois. The applicant proposes to discontinue the entire facility, located at 861 S. State St., Lincoln, Illinois. There is no project cost.

The application was declared complete on June 14, 2002. Consideration by the Health Facilities Planning Board has been tentatively scheduled for the Aug. 15 board meeting. Requests for hearing must be received no later than July 5, 2002.

Any person wanting to submit written comments on this project must do so by July 26, 2002.

[LDN]

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