Congressman Ray LaHood will be a featured speaker at the event. Dr. Carl Getto, dean of SIU School of Medicine, will present the keynote address.

The HCP is comprised of task forces which address access to medical care for rural communities, substance abuse among youth, teen parenting and pregnancy prevention, and domestic violence prevention. HCP task force members will present updates on their progress and future goals. Special awards will be presented to HCP supporters and participants.

For more information, contact Dayle Eldredge, partnership director, at (217) 732-2161, Ext. 409.

It all started with a month-long campaign, through the secretary of state’s office and the Literacy Foundation of Illinois, in which Barnes and Noble Booksellers raised money to purchase books for children. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, customers at the Bloomington branch of Barnes and Noble were asked to contribute a dollar toward local literacy programs. The total program raised $80,000 through 20 Barnes and Noble stores.

Lincoln became a beneficiary when Mayor Joan Ritter learned of the program last fall at a state meeting and recommended Jefferson School. The school applied and was chosen for the grant. They received $6,800 of that money, but, because Barnes and Noble gave them an education discount, the donated money stretched to purchase $8,000 worth of children’s books. Jefferson School received hundreds of new books that were selected by the teachers and students for their school library.

Once the boxes were unpacked, excited children got to look through the hundreds of books. Each child chose the book of his or her liking for the school to receive. Then a decorative placard was placed in the book with the child’s own name on it.

Following the festive event the children were treated to a special lunch out with the mayor. A decorated celebratory cake was included in the fare.

All in all it was a grand day out for the Jefferson School third graders and a day they and their teacher, Kathy Hawkinson, will remember for a long time.

Thank you, Barnes and Noble Booksellers, Mayor Ritter and Kathy Hawkinson for bringing a little more to our community.

[LDN staff]

George Mitchell, chairman of the streets and alleys committee, suggested that the money be used on several of the smaller street improvement projects that have been on the city’s list for some time. The 2½-block area of Clinton Street from the railroad to McLean was his first suggestion for the extra repair work.

Donnie Osborne, street superintendent, agreed that the city should consider doing the Clinton Street project on this year’s budget. "I’ve received a lot of calls about that street. It’s in a bad state of repair, and this winter has accelerated its deterioration," he told the streets and alleys committee. Cost of this project is estimated at $62,100.

In addition to Clinton Street, Sheridan Street from Delavan to Tremont should also be finished with the current year’s funds, Osborne said, because it has a serious drainage problem. Cost of this one-block project is estimated at $47,600. "If we could get those projects done and finish what we began this year, I’d be one happy street superintendent."

A third project, completing the installation of curbs on Washington Street from Seventh to Short Eighth Street, could also be completed this year, by using public benefits funds if necessary, Osborne suggested. Cost would be about $8,000.

"This is money we didn’t spend last year, and we’re looking for the best place to spend it now," Osborne said.

Work on Clinton Street would include removing the existing surface and putting in a new asphalt surface. Curbs and gutters are already installed. Sheridan would be totally rehabilitated, with curbs, gutters and new pavement. Washington, which already has curbs on the east side, will have curbs put in on the west side and the pavement reshaped, Osborne said. Some work remains from last season’s project, the final resurfacing of Gavin and State streets. Early winter weather came before the final blacktopping could be put on.

The additional repair work was put on the agenda for the next regular meeting Feb. 5. Sewer plant manager Grant Eaton said he would check to see if sewers need repair while the road work is being done. Eaton, Osborne and city engineer Mark Mathon will present more detailed cost figures at the Feb. 5 meeting. If the council approves the plan, bids can be let and work can begin as early as April.

The most expensive item on the "wish list" for the next fiscal year is also the one needed most, Mitchell said. Rehabilitation of South Elm Street from Kickapoo to Fifth Street, about eight blocks, is estimated to cost $409,600. The streets and alleys committee agreed this should be the first priority for the next phase of city street rehabilitation.

Others on the list are Omaha Street from Rutledge to Logan, estimated at $157,600; Harrison from Ottawa to Logan and Logan from Harrison to Ophir, estimated at $266,700; Evans from Main to Short Eighth and Eighth, $208,000; parts of 11th and Chestnut, $181,100; Pulaski from Sherman to LaDue, $117,100; 13th from Madison to Jefferson, $49,900; Hennepin and Inlet, $144,100; and Pekin from Beason to Miller, $174,500.

The amount of money that will be available for street work in the next fiscal year is still undetermined, but Mitchell noted that not all the projects on the "wish list" can be done right away. "We’ll run out of money before we run out of places that need repair," he noted.

Alderman Gerald Dehner reported that he had had several complaints from people who live on cul-de-sacs that the snow removed from the streets was piled in their yards. He asked Osborne if it was possible to pile the snow in the middle of the cul-de-sac.

Osborne said the only way to do that would be to go in with an end loader after the street is plowed and move the snow from the yards to the middle, because the snowplows would not have room to maneuver without backing into yards or driveways. He also said he was concerned that so much snow could pile up in the center that emergency vehicles could not get through.

Alderman Steve Fuhrer said he had received a petition for reimbursement for cutting down a tree, in two stages in 1997 and 1998, because the tree was partially on city property. However, city clerk Juanita Josserand said she had no record of a petition for reimbursement turned in during those years. The letter also indicated the tree may have been removed as early as1993 and 1994.

Osborne said he had looked at the tree some years ago and determined that only a very small portion was on city property. The sidewalks, forestry and lighting committee voted to turn down the request for reimbursement.

[Joan Crabb]

Proposed new fee structure:

Class A: $1,250 a year; restricted to packaged goods for off-premises consumption (same as old code).

Class B: $1,000 a year; restricted to alcohol sales for on-premises consumption (newly created category).

Class C: $1,000 a year; unrestricted alcohol sales, a combination of Class A and B (replaces old tavern license).

In this meeting it was first recognized that this fee structure holds no incentive for businesses to acquire a Class A or B license that allows for restricted alcohol sales and that a restricted Class A is even higher priced than the unrestricted Class C license.

It was Alderman Pat Madigan who brought out these points. He then proposed decreasing the Class A and B licenses to $1,000 a year and raising the Class C to $1,100 a year.

Alderman Glenn Shelton did not think it good business to lower fees that are already in place. With Madigan’s proposal, Class A would drop from the already established $1,250 to $1,000 a year.

With time running short and participants unable to spur further suggestions for a resolution, the meeting ended with the intent to come to a consensus on the matter of fees at the next meeting. The committee will reconvene at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 25, at City Hall.

The Salvation Army has also donated clothes to Finney and Overbey. While the Salvation Army is not specifically soliciting donations for the Scully Building residents, they will accept and pass on any items the community wants to donate.

CIEDC is asking for donations for Jim McGrady. McGrady lost everything in his apartment, so money, clothes, furniture, bedding, kitchen supplies and so forth are needed. CIEDC will be happy to help any of the other Scully Building residents, but at this time they have only been asked to collect donations for McGrady. If you can donate anything to McGrady, please drop it off at CIEDC, 1800 Fifth St. If you have any questions, contact Docia at CIEDC, 732-2159.

[Jean Ann Carnley]

[Front row (L to R): Ashleigh Yarcho, Kelly Marten, Megan Hoffert, Maria Benitez. Second row (L to R): Jeris Freesmeier, Ali Robinson, Kristen Fleshman, Nicole Humbert, Erin Mason. Third row (L to R): Coach Anne Stoltzenburg, Katie Green, Maggie Schonauer, Whitney O'Donoghue, Julie Fults, Kelsey Gephart]

A resolution was also adopted to declare this Martin Luther King Jr. Week in the city.

The city will issue industrial bonds to finance the $5 million construction /renovations at Lincoln Christian College and Seminary. The city will not hold any financial responsibility to repay these.

A proposal was presented by Bob Menzies, regional planner, that the county seek a 10-year extension for the Lincoln/Logan County Enterprise Zone as offered through a new law passed last week. The enterprise zone provides tax breaks that act as incentives to commercial developers.

The city gave its approval to Mike Gleason to apply for a Brownfield Grant. Gleason is trying to buy the property that his business, The Dairy Bar, sits on. The property was the site of a gas station at one time.

The Brownfield Grant supplies funding for soil sample testing for chemical contamination. Properties which hosted buried tanks must be approved by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency before being bought or sold. Grant Eaton of Environmental Management Corporation is assisting Gleason.

The council approved the use of drug and alcohol fines for the purchase of two new in-car video recorders for the Lincoln Police Department. They will replace old, worn recorders.

The next meetings of the Lincoln City Council are a work session Tuesday, Jan. 23, and a voting session on Monday, Feb. 5.