[NOV. 16, 2001]  At its working session Thursday night the Logan County Board heard the report of a feasibility study for a golf course at Logan County Airport and tentatively voted to approve the concept of an industrial park and a plan to proceed with a detailed study.

Before signaling that they would approve the industrial park concept, board members assured themselves that they were committing no funds. Economic Development Director Mark Smith said the Logan County Development Foundation would fund the feasibility study for the project. He said he was only asking for endorsement of the concept at this time.

When asked whether he would proceed with the study even without board endorsement, Smith said, "Probably." However, he added that if the board and the Lincoln City Council indicated they thought it was a bad idea, the Economic Development Council would reconsider.

Smith said he needed the endorsement to provide a stronger position when he talks to potential investors, such as utilities, investment companies and private individuals. Economic Development Committee Chairman Terry Werth, who made the motion to support the concept, said he considers the issue "a vote of confidence in what the Economic Development Council is doing."

Board member David Hepler, who voiced the most objections, called for more information on which to base a decision. He said comparisons were made to projects in Litchfield and Danville and asked for specific figures regarding these projects. Smith said the local situation is different enough to make comparison figures meaningless.

In a lengthy, statistics-filled presentation, Daniel Conway of THK Associates in Denver gave the results of his firm’s market feasibility study for an airport golf course. Based on demographics and number of existing courses, he said the area can support one more 18-hole course. Based on 74,000 people in the primary market area and about 14 percent playing golf, he deduced that the area has 10,500 golfers today, a figure he expects to see rise as county population grows by 460 people per year, the population ages and more women take up golf.

Conway strongly recommended that a course built at Logan County Airport be 18 holes rather than the nine holes the board had previously discussed. An 18-hole course increases revenues by widening the service area, he said, because people will travel farther to play 18 holes than nine.

Conway sees a golf course having a major economic impact. Benefits he cited include utilization of the clear zone off the runway required by the Federal Aviation Administration, creating frontage attractive for "quality of life sensitive" businesses, faster and more valuable development of land, and jobs in construction and airport operation. He said the 25,000 feet of golf-course frontage could attract 60 to 100 new businesses. Additionally, he cited retention of senior citizens, creation of wildlife habitat, flood control and funding of other recreational development as possible benefits.

Conway envisions the course having two nine-hole loops, a clubhouse and practice range. He said it is important to orient the practice range and as many holes as possible on a north-south axis to avoid interference by the sun. THK does not design courses, and if the board decides to continue with this plan, they need to hire a golf course architect.

[to top of second column in this article]

Roger Bock, Airport Committee chairman, said the airport grounds "only have room for about a nine-hole course." However, he added that he sees the economic reasons why a new course should offer 18 holes. To secure enough land, Bock suggested two alternatives: buying adjacent ground or swapping for ground already owned by the county such as County Farm land.

Returning to an issue previously sent back to the Zoning Board of Appeals, the board indicated in a straw vote that it would approve the request by Carol D. Litwiller to rezone 2.1 acres from agricultural to country homes use. Litwiller plans to divide the property, located on 1100th Avenue, into two homesites.

The Zoning Board of Appeals has twice voted to deny Litwiller’s petition, most recently by a 3-2 vote, because the soil is too well-suited to agriculture, spray drift is a potential problem and the request does not meet the purposes of the Country Homes District as stated in the zoning ordinance: "to provide that areas are topographically and locationally well-suited to meet the increasing market for one (1) acre land" and "to encourage the orderly transition of land from agricultural to low-density residential use."

Board member Tom Cash pointed out, however, that the land has not been farmed in 50 years.

The board also indicated that it would approve on Tuesday an increase in building permit fees. The rates as presented by zoning officer Bud Miller would be $50 for a new home or business, $25 for other permits such as for remodeling, and $100 for variance, rezoning or conditional use permits. The latter have previously cost $35, and the two types of building permits have been free. Miller indicated that if the new fees had been in effect this year, they would have raised $3,500 more than the current rate, which has not changed since the ordinance was enacted in 1971.

Tentative approval was also given to accept three bids:

•  $5,097 from The Carpet House for underlayment and vinyl flooring for the treasurer’s office.

•  $26,150 from Graue Inc. for a vehicle for ESDA; the 9-1-1 board will split this bill.

•  Dental insurance at an 11 percent increase from Jerry Palmer, representing Guardian Dental Insurance. Permission was also granted for Guardian to offer term life insurance to county employees, with the provision that if enough insurance is sold, the dental rate increase will be reduced to 9 percent.

The board also agreed in a straw vote to contract with the Illinois appellate prosecutor to supplement the state’s attorney’s office on appeals at an annual cost of $11,000.

Board Chairman Dick Logan announced that one term on the Zoning Board of Appeals expires in December. Anyone wishing to be considered for the position should submit an application and resume to Logan.

[Lynn Shearer Spellman]

[NOV. 16, 2001]  Less than six weeks till Christmas! Main Street Lincoln is asking for volunteers to help decorate downtown Lincoln for the holidays. 

Help is needed Saturday morning, Nov. 17, to wrap lighted garland around the light poles and put white lights on the bushes on the courthouse lawn. Everyone is welcome to help.

Volunteers should meet on the east side of the square (McLean Street) beginning at 8 a.m. Coffee and doughnuts will be provided. Decorating should conclude by noon.

For further information, contact Main Street Lincoln at 732-2929.

Today’s history

Compiled by Dave Francis

Friday, Nov. 16

320th day of the year

"If you want to get along, go along." — Sam Rayburn

"War is regarded as nothing but the continuation of state policy with other means." — Karl von Clausewitz

42 B.C. — Tiberius Caesar, second Roman emperor (14-37 A.D.)

1831 — Karl von Clausewitz, Prussian strategist (Campaign 1813), dies at 51

1908 — Burgess Meredith, Cleveland, Ohio, actor ("Mr. Novak," Penguin in the "Batman" series, "Rocky")

1959 — Corey Allen Pavin, Oxnard, Calif., PGA golfer (1995 U.S. Open)

1961 — Frank Bruno, British boxer (European champ)

1962 — Chuck Finley, pitcher (Angels)

1964 — Dwight Gooden pitcher (New York Mets)

1380 — French King Charles VI declares no taxes forever

1532 — Pizarro captures Incan emperor Atahualpa after victory at Cajamarca

1776 — Hessians capture Fort Washington, Manhattan

1798 — Kentucky becomes first state to nullify an act of Congress

1811 — Earthquake in Missouri causes the Mississippi River to flow backward

1907 — Oklahoma becomes 46th state

1908 — Arturo Tuscanini begins conducting New York’s Metropolitan Opera

1914 — Federal Reserve System formally opens

1959 — "The Sound of Music" opens on Broadway

1960 — Clark Gable dies at 59

1961 — Sam Rayburn, speaker of the House for 17 years, dies

1981 — Luke marries Laura on "General Hospital"

[NOV. 15, 2001]  The Looking For Lincoln committee met Wednesday night to discuss upcoming events and the planning of Lincoln’s holiday schedule.

Lincoln College professor and museum supervisor Ron Keller updated the group on the tourism revenue for post-Sept. 11 profits. "Sales are actually up," said Keller, pointing out that although "some fund-raising had to be cut back, tourism has not slowed at all."

Adding to the positive statistics, Keller’s statement was supported by Postville Courthouse representative Shirley Bartelmay. "We’ve had [tourists] recently from New York, Iowa, Texas and Florida," she said.

Bartelmay was recently credited by the state of Illinois for coordinating volunteers and was rewarded with a plaque for overall dedication.

Keller suggested that Lincoln’s success in not losing tourists lies in Abraham Lincoln. Interest in Lincoln is something that does not fade in any season.

[to top of second column in this article]

This season is exactly what the committee’s goal planning centered on next. "We’ll be conducting our candlelight courthouse tours again this year," noted Bartelmay. The annual tours will be between 6 and 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 27.

The committee is still seeking volunteers to help conduct this year’s tours. Mayor Davis offered to help take part in the festivities by volunteering herself for part-time tour duty. If you are interested in sharing time with the mayor as a tour guide, you can contact Wendy Bell of Main Street Lincoln at 732-2929.

The committee’s next session will be at the beginning of January.

[Colin Bird]

Today’s history

Compiled by Dave Francis

319th day of the year

"Conferences at the top level are always courteous. Name-calling is left to the foreign ministers." — W. Averill Harriman

"I was brought up to believe that the only thing worth doing was to add to the sum of accurate information in the world." — Margaret Mead

1397 — Nicholas V, pope (1447-55); ended schism, founded Vatican Library

1708 — William Pitt the Elder, prime minister of United Kingdom (1756-61, ’66-68), "Great Commoner" (Whig)

1738 — Sir William Herschel, astronomer (discovered Uranus)

1815 — John Banvard, New York City, painted world’s largest painting (three-mile canvas)

1891 — Erwin Rommel, German field marshal (World War II, African campaign)

1891 — W. Averell Harriman, governor of New York (D) and ambassador to USSR (1943-46)

1919 — Joseph Albert, Wapner, La., judge ("People’s Court")

1492 — Christopher Columbus makes first recorded reference to tobacco

1763 — Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon begin surveying Mason-Dixon Line between Pennsylvania and Maryland

1777 — Articles of Confederation adopted by Continental Congress

1791 — Georgetown, first Catholic college in United States, opens

1806 — Explorer Zebulon Pike sights Pikes Peak

1864 — Sherman burns Atlanta

1899 — Morning Post reporter Winston Churchill and wife captured in Natal

1939 — Nazis begin mass murder of Warsaw Jews

1939 — Social Security Administration approves first unemployment check

1957 — United States sentences Soviet spy Rudolf Ivanovich Abel to 30 years and $3,000

1959 — Richard Hickock and Perry Smith kill Clutters

1978 — Margaret Mead, anthropologist, dies in New York at 76

[NOV. 14, 2001]  What was planned as one of the city’s chief tourist attractions, a drink from the "Lincoln Well," may be a long time coming, members of the Lincoln City Council learned this week.

The well, across from the historic Postville Courthouse on Fifth Street, has serious contamination problems, County Board member Terry Werth told members of the buildings and public grounds and sewer and drainage committees at a special joint meeting Nov. 13.

Werth said the well has been pumped out three times, and each time it fills up, the water is found to be contaminated with bacteria from human or animal waste.

"We let groundwater into the well, and pump it out and pump it out, and each time we have the problem," Werth said.

The well, thought to be the original well for the town of Postville, which predated the town of Lincoln and was later annexed by Lincoln, is surely the well Abraham Lincoln drank from when he was trying cases in the courthouse across the street, Werth believes.

The problem may be coming from a main city sewer that runs along Fifth Street or from laterals from homes connected to the sewer, but addressing that problem will be prohibitively expensive. Grant Eaton, sewer plant manager, said to rebuild the 1800 linear feet of sewer near the well could cost from $350,000 to $540,000.

"It would be a major project, because Fifth Street is a state highway and a major route, with gas lines and other utilities in the area," he said. Also, the well is not on city property but on property belonging to the Illinois Department of Transportation.

"IDOT is not real crazy about the well as it is," he said.

He noted that the Casey General Store, to be built across from the Postville Courthouse, will also add to the sewage the line has to carry. "It’s not the best sewer line in the city, but not the worst either," he added.

Alderman Bill Melton, chairman of the sewer committee, said spending that much money now is "not within our grasp." The city must spend almost $10 million to upgrade the sewage treatment plant, which has reached capacity, or risk having the Environmental Protection Agency refuse to allow any new hookups, thus stopping growth in the city.

"I would still like to see something done with the well," Melton said.

[to top of second column in this article]

A suggestion that the well be flushed out again and the water diverted into the sewer line was also not feasible, Eaton said. "It would take millions and millions of gallons to flush that well, and the EPA won’t let us put that water into the sewer system."

Eaton suggested that it might be possible to drill deeper and get to a level where the soil has filtered out any contamination. He said that is what is usually done with a hand-dug well.

A suggestion that a new well be drilled at another site was not well received by several aldermen.

"If we can’t use the bona fide well, I don’t think we should present something else to the public that says it is the well Lincoln drank from," Alderman George Mitchell said.

Werth pointed out that if the well is not used, by law it would have to be filled in. He said the 35-foot-deep, hand-dug well is a model of well construction in the Lincoln era and is very well built and designed, which is why it didn’t collapse years ago,

The bottom of the well is cedar and brick, and the well is "tiered" so that it is larger at the top than at the bottom. Bricks are interlocked, and at the top of each tier is a shelf that supports the next brick tier. The well measurers 4 to 5 feet in diameter at the bottom and 6½ to 7 feet at the top, he said.

"It would be a shame to fill it in," he added.

Werth said one solution might be to drill the well deeper in the existing hole, then line the well with a metal shield to prevent groundwater from seeping in. He said he would have to talk to another well driller, as the Springfield firm he has used does not do drilled wells.

He told the council he would talk to a Mason City well driller and get back to the council with the firm’s answer. He also thought drilling the well deeper might fall within the $10,000 budget for restoration of the well.

"This dashes some of our immediate plans," said Mayor Beth Davis, who has been a strong supporter of the well restoration.

[Joan Crabb]

[NOV. 14, 2001]  A groundbreaking ceremony for District 27’s new Central School has been set for Friday, Nov. 30, at 1 p.m., according to Superintendent Robert Kidd.

The 47,000-square-foot brick building will be constructed behind the present Central School and will face Seventh Street. It will have 14 classrooms, a kitchen and cafeteria, a gymnasium, a stage, a music room, a media center, a library, office space, and a conference room for teachers and administrators.

The new school will house kindergarten through fifth-grade students along with special education students.

Construction is expected to take from 14 to 18 months, according to architect Dave Leonatti.

[to top of second column in this article]

Dr. Kidd said the district is inviting state Rep. Jonathan Wright and state Sen. Claude Stone to attend the ceremony, as well as U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood. The mayor and council members and other local officials will also be invited. Central School students will provide music.

The new school is the first phase of the District 27 building project. After it is completed, junior high students will move into the old Central School and a new junior high school will be built on the site of the present school. When that is completed, the present Central School will be demolished.

[Joan Crabb]

Today’s history

Compiled by Dave Francis

Wednesday, Nov. 14

318th day of the year

"The only alternative to coexistence is co-destruction." — Nehru

"No race can prosper till it learns there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem." — Booker T. Washington

1765 — Robert Fulton built first commercial steamboat (or 0819)

1840 — Claude Monet, France, impressionist ("Water Lilies")

1889 — Jawaharlal Nehru, first Indian prime minister (1947-64)

1896 — Mamie Doud Eisenhower, first lady

1909 — Joseph R. McCarthy, senator, R-Wis., anti-communist

1912 — Barbara Hutton, heiress (Woolworth)

1948 — Prince Charles, Britain, Prince of Wales

565 — Justinian, Roman emperor, dies at 82

1263 — Alexander Nevski [Aleksandr], Russian ruler (1252-63), dies at 43

1524 — Pizarro’s begins first great expedition, near Colombia

1666 — Samuel Pepys reports on first blood transfusion (between dogs)

1732 — First U.S. professional librarian, Louis Timothee, hired in Philadelphia

1851 — "Moby Dick," by Herman Melville, published

1906 — Roosevelt becomes first U.S. president to visit a foreign country (Panama)

1910 — First airplane flight from deck of a ship, Norfolk, Va.

1915 — Booker T. Washington, educator and organizer, dies at 59 in Tuskegee, Ala.

1972 — Dow Jones closes above 1,000 for first time (1003.16)

1990 — Malcolm Muggeridge, World War II spy for Britain, dies at 87

Today’s history

Compiled by Dave Francis

317th day of the year

"The cruelest lies are often told in silence." — R.L. Stevenson

"Nothing is certain but death and taxes." — Ben Franklin

1312 — Edward III, king of England (1327-77)

1809 — John A.B. Dahlgren, Union lieutenant admiral and inventor (Civil War Dahlgren: cannon)

1814 — Joseph Hooker, major general (Union volunteers), died in 1879

1838 — Joseph F. Smith, sixth president of Mormon church

1850 — Robert Louis Stevenson, Scotland, author ("Treasure Island")

1949 — Whoopi Goldberg [Caryn Johnson], New York City, actress ("The Color Purple," "Burglar")

1775 — American Revolutionary forces capture Montreal

1779 — Thomas Chippendale, English furniture maker, dies at 61

1789 — Ben Franklin writes "Nothing . . . certain but death and taxes."

1868 — Gioacchino (Antonio) Rossini, composer ("The Barber of Seville"), dies at 76

1974 — Karen Silkwood killed in a car crash under suspicious circumstances

1982 — Korean boxer Duk Koo Kim fatally injured when KO’d by Ray Mancini

1983 — "Alvin" Junior Samples, country singer ("Hee Haw"), dies at 56

[NOV. 12, 2001]  A plane has gone down in Queens this morning, Monday, Nov. 12.

Little is known at this hour about the American Airlines Airbus A-300 that crashed shortly after takeoff this morning. Flight 587 was headed for Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic from JFK Airport. Buildings are reported on fire at the crash site in Rockway, Queens, N.Y. There were no indicators the plane was in trouble.

New York is shut down. All airports are closed. All bridges and tunnels are closed. The United Nations is under lockdown.

[LDN]

[Click here for links to newspapers online]

Today’s history

Compiled by Dave Francis

316th day of the year

"Whenever I hear the word culture, I reach for my revolver." — Hermann Goering

"We’re all eccentrics. We’re all prima donnas." — Harry Blackmun

1833 — Aleksandr Borodin, Russia, composer ("Prince Igor")

1840 — Auguste Rodin, France, sculptor ("The Kiss," "The Thinker")

1908 — Harry A. Blackmun, Illinois, Supreme Court justice (1970- )

1929 — Grace Kelly, Philadelphia, Monaco princess and actress ("Philadelphia Story," "Rear Window")

1934 — Charles Manson [No Name Maddox], Cincinnati, Ohio, criminal (Tate-LaBianca murders)

1945 — Neil Young, Canada, singer and songwriter (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young)

1961 — Nadia Comaneci, Onesti, Romania, gymnast (Olympian, gold medals in 1976, ’80)

324 B.C. — Origin of Era of Alexander

1035 — Canute "The Great" King of the Danes (1016-1035) dies at 41

607 — Boniface III ends his reign as Catholic pope

1775 — General Washington forbids recruiting officers to enlist blacks

1859 — Jules Leotard performs first flying trapeze circus act (Paris). He also designed the garment that bears his name.

1938 — Hermann Goering announces he wants Madagascar as a Jewish homeland

1939 — Jews of Lodz, Poland, are ordered to wear yellow armbands

1946 — First drive-up bank window established (Chicago)

1948 — Japanese premier Hideki Tojo sentenced to death by war crimes tribunal

1955 — Date returned to in "Back to the Future" and "Back to the Future II"

[NOV. 10, 2001]  It’s Germany, World War II.  An American soldier finds himself in a desperate situation; he’s alone and on foot in a small village in Germany.  He must walk back to the safety of his own side through enemy territory. The odds are slim that he will make it. Amazingly he sees two planes on an isolated airstrip on his first day.  Then, wouldn’t you know it, two German soldiers show up. He watches and, as luck would have it, they both climb into one of the planes and take off, leaving the other plane free for the taking.  There sits his best means of getting out quickly and alive. A crushing moment in reality:  The soldier does not know how to fly. 

It certainly didn’t look it at the time, but his luck had not really run out.  He began to walk and, two weeks later, half starved and to the point of total exhaustion, Lindy Fancher arrived in safe territory.  He later received the Silver Star for his bravery.

That nearly life-ending incident deeply impacted Fancher. “I vowed then that when I got back I would learn to fly,” Fancher recently recounted at a farewell party.  It became apparent in the years to come that the real recipients of blessings from his near-life-costing misfortune are the residents of his hometown, Lincoln. Not only did he learn to fly, but over the years he spent countless hours teaching others. 

Fancher has been a major contributor to the development of aviation in Logan County.  Numerous comments made at his going away party on June 29 credited him for many years of work, sacrifices and forward thinking. “I appreciate Lindy and all those like him that make the airport work,” said a Logan County Board member.

“He has made the airport and Heritage in Flight museum what it is today.  There's never been a better champion for aviation and community spirit.  And most of all Lindy is a true believer in his fellow man.  He always brings a smile to all strangers and friends that pass in his presence,” according to HIF.

[to top of second column in this article]

In addition to his local aeronautical contributions, Fancher has had a number of other influences in the community as well.  He was known to be a magnet for teenagers while running the Blue Inn Restaurant, a popular hangout located across from the Tropics.  There’s a story and a supposed picture that goes around about him teaching teens to water ski on a canoe paddle out at Lincoln Lakes.

Last employed by Lincoln Office Supply, Fancher is presently retired. He and his wife, Vada, have recently moved from Lincoln to Atlanta, Ga., to be closer to their son Jim and his family.

On this day before Veterans Day, Lincoln Daily News would like to honor Lindy Fancher, and each and every other veteran, particularly those that live in our communities in Logan County.  While not all have been rewarded with a Silver Star or made notable influences, all bravely offered their services on behalf of our county. We owe every one our admiration and thanks.  We mourn those who lost their lives. We thank each and every one that comes back and continues to give so graciously in our communities. Your mere presence is vital to the character of our communities and our country.  We salute you!

[Jan Youngquist]

[NOV. 10, 2001]  The Illinois Senate convened Wednesday for the first day of the fall veto session, poising itself for six more days of legislative action to deal with vetoes, reductions in the fiscal year 2002 budget, antiterrorism legislation and emergency legislation, according to Sen. Claude "Bud" Stone.

Topping the list of priorities for fall action is revamping the state’s budget to meet lower revenue expectations following the Sept. 11 tragedies. Lawmakers are facing a $500 million shortfall and are looking at ways to fill the gap.

Antiterrorism legislation will also be a top priority as lawmakers look for ways to not only increase homeland security but also to fund it in the wake of an already tight budget. Senate President James "Pate" Philip has already suggested designating a special state lottery to fund antiterrorist measures and allow citizens to show their patriotism. Lawmakers will consider this and other proposals.

Fourteen Senate bills were vetoed by the governor this year, and six more have amendatory vetoes pending action. Lawmakers may choose to reject or accept the governor’s recommendations on the legislation.

Motions were filed to override the governor’s veto of the following:

•  Broadcast Industry Free Market Act (SB 720) — Prohibits TV, radio or cable stations from requiring employees and prospective employees to refrain from employment in a specific geographic area for a period of time after they terminate employment with the station.

[to top of second column in this article]

•  Library task force (SB 635) — Creates a nine-member task force to explore ways to better coordinate the current library system. The members would serve without compensation.

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

A motion was filed to accept the governor’s changes to the following:

•  Aviation DUI (SB 647) — Increases penalties for operating or repairing an airplane while intoxicated. The suggested changes correct a conflict with the proposed penalties.

•  Circuit Breaker (SB 1493) — Makes all Circuit Breaker program applicants approved for benefits between July 1 and Dec. 31 eligible for benefits through June 30 of that state fiscal year and any applicants approved between Jan. 1 and June 30 eligible for benefits through June 30 of the following state fiscal year. The suggested changes move the implementation date to Jan. 1, 2002, making it consistent with current law.

Legislators will return to Springfield to continue veto action Nov. 13-15 and Nov. 27-29.

[News release]

[NOV. 10, 2001]  Sen. Claude "Bud" Stone has been appointed to serve on the Agriculture and Conservation Committee and the Licensed Activities Committee in the Illinois Senate.

The appointments, by Senate President James "Pate" Philip, were made official Wednesday, the first day of the fall veto session.

"I’m pleased with the assignment to two very important committees," said Stone, R-Morton. "Illinois’ number one industry is agriculture, and agriculture is a big part of the 45^th Senate District. We need to do all we can to protect the family farmer, increase exports of our agriculture products and help boost the rural economy through value-added products. Conservation issues are important too. Illinois has been blessed with an abundance of natural resources, and proper management of those resources is a responsibility I take seriously."

The Licensed Activities Committee is a lesser-known but influential legislative panel.

[to top of second column in this article]

"No other committee has as much to do with consumer protection as the Licensed Activities Committee," said Stone. "This committee looks at all legislation dealing with the more than 670,000 professionals licensed by the state of Illinois. This includes doctors, lawyers, home repair professionals, architects, barbers, athletic trainers, pharmacists, accountants, social workers and others."

Stone was sworn into office on July 16 to serve as 45^th District senator following the retirement of Sen. Bob Madigan. Stone and his fellow Senate colleagues met at the State Capitol on Wednesday, Nov. 7, for the start of the fall veto session. Veto session workdays are scheduled for Nov. 13, 14 and 15 and on Nov. 27, 28 and 29.

[News release]

[NOV. 10, 2001]  On Nov. 8, the Retired Teachers’ Association of Logan and DeWitt counties had a meeting at Bonanza in Lincoln. Rep. Jonathan Wright, R-Hartsburg, and Rep. Bill Mitchell, R-Forsyth, attended to discuss the funding of the Teachers’ Retirement Insurance Program.

The funding for the program, also known as TRIP, is estimated to be $28.8 million less than needed for fiscal year 2002. Central Management Services warns that the shortfall will require an 80 percent increase in health insurance premiums for retired teachers in fiscal year 2002.

"Such an increase is unacceptable," Wright said. "Retired teachers have already been required to absorb a 21 percent increase on health insurance premiums this year. Such increases are devastating on retired teachers living on fixed pension income," he said.

Rep. Wright supports the efforts in the veto session to address the short-term problem to avoid any increase in health insurance premiums for retired teachers. "The proposals are being formulated," he said. "At this time, I have not been provided the details of any proposals, but I will support any effort to avoid the increase in premiums."

[to top of second column in this article]

Complicating the situation is a new proposal from Speaker of the House Michael Madigan. "It is my understanding," Wright said, "that Speaker Madigan will not call any bill to the floor for vote that addresses the retired teacher insurance program unless there is a commitment to provide $20 million for the retired Chicago teachers pension fund."

Wright continued, "The fund for Chicago teachers is sufficiently funded at this time, and there is no need to provide additional funding. My concern is that such an effort by the speaker could prevent us from addressing the more urgent problem facing the TRIP program."

During the meeting with the local association of retired teachers, Rep. Wright and Rep. Mitchell responded to many questions from those in attendance. "It was a great turnout, and I enjoyed the opportunity to visit with all of these people to address their concerns," Wright said.

[News release]

Today’s history

Compiled by Dave Francis

314th day of the year

"Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,

The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.

The stars in the bright sky looked down where He lay —

The little Lord Jesus asleep in the hay."
— Martin Luther (While Luther is credited with writing this, and many other songs, most scholars now agree that Luther had no hand in this one.)

"God will not forgive us if we fail." — Leonid Brezhnev to Jimmy Carter

1483 — Martin Luther, Eisleben, Germany, founded Protestantism

1879 — Vachel Lindsay, Springfield, Ill., poet ("Johnny Appleseed")

1955 — Jack Clark, Pennsylvania, all-star outfielder (Giants, Cards, Yanks, Padres)

1956 — Sinbad, comedian and actor ("A Different World," "At the Apollo")

1959 — MacKenzie Phillips, Alexandria, Va., actress (Julie in "One Day at a Time")

1968 — Sammy Sosa, San Pedro, Dominican Republic, outfielder (Chicago Cubs)

1567 — Battle at St. Denis: French government army vs. Huguenots

1775 — U.S. Marine Corps established by Congress

1801 — Kentucky outlaws dueling

1808 — Osage Treaty signed

1836 — Louis Napoleon banished to America

1864 — Austrian Archduke Maximilian became emperor of Mexico

1871 — Stanley presumes to meet Livingston in Ujiji, Central Africa

1885 — Gottlieb Daimler’s motorcycle, world’s first, unveiled

1891 — First Woman’s Christian Temperance Union meeting (in Boston)

1905 — Sailors revolt in Kronstadt, Russia

1908 — First Gideon Bible placed in a hotel room

1940 — Arthur Neville Chamberlain, British premier (1937-40), dies at 71

1951 — First long-distance telephone call without operator assistance

1954 — Iwo Jima Memorial (servicemen raising U.S. flag) dedicated in Arlington

1969 — "Sesame Street" premieres on PBS-TV

1982 — Vietnam Veterans Memorial opens

1989 — Germans begin punching holes in the Berlin Wall

[to top of second column in this article]

Sunday, Nov. 11

315th day of the year

"Sarcasm: the last refuge of modest and chaste-souled people when the privacy of their soul is coarsely and intrusively invaded." — Fyodor Dostoevsky

"A good plan, violently executed now, is better than a perfect plan next week." — George S. Patton

1821 — Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky, Russia, novelist ("Crime and Punishment")

1885 — George S. Patton, general, "Old Blood and Guts"

1896 — Charles "Lucky" Luciano, Sicily, New York City Mafia gangster

1901 — Sam Spiegel, producer ("On the Waterfront," "The Bridge over the River Kwai")

1904 — Alger Hiss, State Department official and spy

1911 — King Hussein of Jordan

1915 — William Proxmire, senator, D-Wis. (Golden Fleece Awards)

1922 — Kurt Vonnegut Jr., author ("Slaughterhouse Five," "Sirens of Titan")

1925 — Jonathan Winters, Dayton, Ohio, comedian ("J. Winters Show," "Mork and Mindy")

1951 — Fuzzy Zoeller, New Albany, Ind., PGA golfer (Masters 1981)

1962 — Demi Moore [Guynes], Roswell, N.M., actress ("Seventh Sign," "Blame it on Rio")

1963 — Vinnie Testaverde, NFL quarterback (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

1974 — Leonardo DiCaprio, Los Angeles, actor (Luke in "Growing Pains")

1620 — 41 Pilgrims land in Massachusetts, sign Mayflower Compact (just and equal laws)

1647 — Massachusetts passes first U.S. compulsory school attendance law

1831 — Nat Turner, former slave who led a violent insurrection, hanged in Virginia

1864 — Sherman’s troops destroy Rome, Ga.

1865 — Mary Edward Walker, first Army female surgeon, awarded Medal of Honor

1889 — Washington admitted as 42nd state

1918 — Armistice Day; World War I ends (at 11 a.m. on Western Front)

1921 — President Harding dedicates Tomb of Unknown Soldier

1922 — Largest U.S. flag displayed (150’ by 90’); expanded in 1939 (270’ by 90’)

1939 — Kate Smith first sings Irving Berlin’s "God Bless America"

1942 — During World War II Germany completes their occupation of France

It’s on the radio, TV, in all the media. You hear it in the office, on the street and maybe at home — threats of terrorism. America is on high alert. Here in central Illinois, away from any supposed practical target areas, perhaps we feel a little less threatened, but we are still concerned. So how concerned should we be, and how prepared are we for the types of situations that could occur?

Whether the threat is domestic or foreign, violent, biological or chemical, our public health and rescue agencies have been preparing to respond to the situations. Lincoln Daily News has been at meetings where all the agencies gather together as the Logan County Emergency Planning Committee to strategize for just such a time. Our reports have not even provided every detail that every agency has reported; i.e., a number of representatives from differing agencies such as the health and fire departments, CILCO and ESDA went to a bioterrorism and hazmat (hazardous materials) seminar this past August.

Here are some of the articles that LDN has posted pre- and post-Tuesday, Sept. 11. Hopefully you will see in them that WE ARE WELL PREPARED. At least as much as any area can be. Every agency has been planning, training, submitting for grants to buy equipment long before Sept. 11. We can be thankful for all of the dedicated, insightful leaders we have in this community.

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• LEPC hears plans for annual exercise

• U.S. under terrorist attack
  How is Logan County affected?

• The day after ‘Attack on America’
  Area leaders respond to national tragedy

• ESDA and LEPC conduct successful hazardous materials exercise at water treatment plant 

• Logan County ready for action if terrorist event occurs - Part 1

• Logan County ready for action if terrorist event occurs – Part 2

• Clinton nuclear power plant safety measures in place

• Logan County agencies meet to discuss protocol for suspicious mail

As promised, the United States led an attack on Afghanistan. The attack began Sunday, Oct. 7. American and British military forces made 30 hits on air defenses, military airfields and terrorist training camps, destroying aircraft and radar systems. The strike was made targeting only terrorists.

More than 40 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East have pledged their cooperation and support the U.S. initiative.

Online news links

Other countries

Afghanistan

http://www.afghandaily.com/ 

http://www.myafghan.com/  

http://www.afghan-web.com/aop/ 

China

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/

http://www1.chinadaily.com.cn/

Germany

http://www.faz.com/

India

http://www.dailypioneer.com/ 

http://www.hindustantimes.com/ 

http://www.timesofindia.com/ 

Israel

http://www.jpost.com/ 

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/ 

England

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/ 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/ 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/

Pakistan

http://www.dawn.com/

http://frontierpost.com.pk/ 

Russia

http://english.pravda.ru/

http://www.sptimesrussia.com/ 

Saudi Arabia

http://www.arabnews.com/ 

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United States

Illinois

http://www.suntimes.com/index/ 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/ 

http://www.pantagraph.com/ 

http://www.qconline.com/ 

http://www.pjstar.com/

http://www.sj-r.com/ 

http://www.herald-review.com/

http://www.southernillinoisan.com/ 

New York

http://www.nypost.com/

http://www.nytimes.com/

Stars and Stripes
(serving the U.S. military community)

http://www.estripes.com/ 

Washington, D.C.

Announcements

[OCT. 12, 2001]  The city landfill on Broadwell Drive will be open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for leaf and brush disposal, beginning on Oct. 15, according to Donnie Osborne, street superintendent. Plans are to keep the new schedule in place until Dec. 15, he said. 

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