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44th District update from Sen. Bill Brady

DeWitt, Logan counties
get disaster declarations    
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[AUG. 2, 2003]  It took nearly two months, but local families and businesses whose property was damaged during a tornado in May will get help now that the governor has declared DeWitt and Logan counties state disaster areas.

On May 30, a tornado swept through the region, destroying several businesses and homes, particularly on the south side of Clinton. Early the next day, Rep. Bill Mitchell and Sen. Bill Brady requested the disaster declaration. Both made numerous phone calls, and Mitchell met with representatives from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, seeking the declaration.

In a letter dated July 2, the governor's public safety deputy chief of staff stated that funding for relief was not available for disasters that occurred prior to July 1. The legislators would not accept this decision, however, and are pleased that their perseverance paid off. The declaration finally came on July 24, giving communities the help they need.

Governor signs tuition limit legislation

Students attending state universities in Illinois will be able to lock in a tuition rate for four years under a law signed by the governor July 22.

House Bill 1118 provides that, beginning with those students who first enroll after the 2003-2004 academic year, the undergraduate tuition charged to an Illinois resident will not exceed the amount charged upon initial enrollment in the university. This guaranteed tuition is to be valid for the following four consecutive academic years, with an exception made for those undergraduate programs that require more than four academic years of class work. The new law also allows for an adjustment in the rate of tuition paid if a student changes majors, resulting in a different tuition being required.

The costs of a higher education have risen sharply. This new law gives students more of an idea of the costs they have to pay for tuition and could help keep college in the ballpark for many students.

Some retired teachers could return to classrooms

The governor has signed legislation co-sponsored by Sen. Brady that will provide another source of teachers for Illinois schools facing a shortage of faculty in certain subjects.

 

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Senate Bill 195 creates a five-year pilot program that allows retired teachers to return to work and receive active teacher health insurance while receiving an annuity, as long as they teach in a "subject shortage area."

With older teachers retiring and school enrollments increasing, schools are finding it harder to hire enough qualified personnel for all subjects. This means that classroom sizes are growing and some teachers might be asked to teach classes that are outside their particular area of expertise. "This is not in the best interest of our children, so we need to look to another source of teachers," Brady said.

The employment must be within a subject area that is experiencing a teacher shortage and within a qualified school. Regional superintendents of schools would be required to certify school district compliance with certain requirements of the program.

Governor's delay of death-penalty reforms

Gov. Rod Blagojevich's July 29 veto of death-penalty legislation is slowing the implementation of much-needed reforms.

Brady said, "I question the governor's reasoning and timing behind this amendatory veto. These reforms passed with nearly unanimous support at every step of the General Assembly's law-making process. If they had concerns, they should have brought them to our attention during the spring session so we could work them out."

Blagojevich vetoed a portion of the death penalty reform package that sanctions individual police officers for perjury.

"What kind of a message is he sending with this veto? If we can't hold law enforcement officials accountable for perjury, then how can we expect others -- including criminals -- to tell the truth? I truly do not understand his reasoning," Brady added.

The amendatory veto sends the legislation back to the General Assembly for action during the fall's veto session, which starts Nov. 4.

[News release provided by Sen. Bill Brady]

Flowers and Things

515 Woodlawn Road
Lincoln, IL

(217) 732-7507

"Your Professional Florist"

Lincoln Community Theatre
presents
"1776"
August 1-9

2 p.m. on Sundays &
 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday

Phone 217-735-2614
P.O. Box 374, Lincoln, IL  62656
http://www.geocities.com/
lincolncommunitytheatre

Our staff offers more than 25 years of experience in the automotive industry.

Greyhound Lube

At the corner of Woodlawn and
Business 55

No Appointments Necessary

 

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Link to Illinois sex offender information provided by the Illinois State Police:

http://www.isp.state.il.us/sor/frames.htm

Searches available by city, county, ZIP code and name.

Community Policing Activities

 

Court News

Name, age, address; date, charge; sentence

(None posted for week ending 7-31-03)

Marriage Licenses

(Week ending 7-31-03)

  • Dennis L. Eveland II, Lincoln
    Jennifer M. Leamon, Lincoln

  • Patrick E. Gettleman, Clinton
    Stephanie L. Turley, Clinton

  • Daniel P. Hoe, Elkhart
    Pamela L. Hooper, Elkhart

Dissolutions

(Week ending 7-31-03)

  • Scott A. Laubenstein, Lincoln
    Tabitha L. Laubenstein, Lincoln

  • Anthony J. Corgliano, Lincoln
    Barbara H. Corgliano, Atlanta

Most Wanted

[Click here]

Anyone with any information concerning crimes in the Lincoln/Logan County area is urged to call Crime Stoppers at (217) 732-3000 or e-mail crimestoppers@lincolnpolice.us.

Your information will be kept confidential and you may remain anonymous.

If your information leads to the arrest of the person(s) involved, Crime Stoppers will pay you a cash reward up to $1,000.

Crime Stoppers has an answering machine to answer your calls. This is to protect you if you wish to remain anonymous. (Your calls cannot be traced with the machine).

You need to let us know how you can be contacted about the incident, or you must watch to see if the subject has been arrested. This is so we can make a payout to you.

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