Melanie Riggs wins
CIMCO award

[OCT. 27, 2001]  Melanie Riggs, Lincoln’s deputy city clerk, has received the 2001 Presidential Award from the Central Illinois Municipal Clerks Organization for her "effort, time and level of participation ... beyond the norm."

This is the third time Riggs has received the award from the 78-member organization, composed of clerks and deputy clerks from municipalities in central Illinois. The region extends as far north as Peru, as far south as Taylorville, west to Galesburg and east to Danville.

She received the Presidential Award in 1997 and 1998, when she was serving as treasurer for CIMCO. In fiscal year 2001, she served as secretary.

 

CIMCO has been in existence since 1988, coincidentally the same year Riggs came to work at City Hall, although she did not join CIMCO until several years later. CIMCO provides members friendship and support and promotes personal growth and professionalism.

At City Hall, Riggs oversees all accounting and bookkeeping, coordinating financial accounts from all departments and making sure they are in balance. She has an A.A. degree in computer programming and accounting.

 

According to Lois Mauney, city payroll and accounts payable clerk, Riggs is the office "troubleshooter," who can help when others are having trouble with accounting problems. Her knowledge of the computer is also very valuable, Mauney says. "She works well when there is a challenge and is always willing to help."

"She’s my right hand," says Juanita Josserand, longtime city clerk. "She is the type of person everybody would want in their office when it comes to knowledge, expertise and willingness to help others."

 

 

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Riggs lives in Lincoln with her 6-year-old daughter, Chelsey.

Below is the letter from Sue McMillan, CIMCO president, announcing Riggs’ award. McMillan is city clerk of Pekin.

 

October 10, 2001

One of the best responsibilities of being president is to be able to give recognition to a member for their distinguished service during the past year.

This year’s Presidential Award goes to a member whose effort, time, and level of participation have clearly extended beyond the norm.

She has had the initiative to be chair of the Audit Committee, the graciousness to serve as Treasurer for three years and the wisdom (or lack of!) to continue her untiring commitment to the organization by serving as Secretary this past year.

She is truly a value to our organization, dependable and prompt with her officer reports and more than anything has always been there for me.

I present the 2001 Presidential Award to Melanie Riggs.

Sincerely,

CENTRAL ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL

CLERKS ORGANIZATION

Sue E. McMillan

President

[Joan Crabb]

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Officers appreciated

[OCT. 27, 2001]  The following letter was received by the Lincoln Police Department commending the performance of city officers in regard to an unusual situation and its eventual resolution.

October 5, 2001

Kelly McCraith

Tri-County Special Education Association

812 Lincoln Avenue

Lincoln, IL 62656

Police Chief Rich Montcalm

911 Pekin Street

Lincoln, IL 62656

Dear Police Chief Montcalm,

I recently contacted the Department of Children and Family Services regarding a homeless boy and was told that there was little they could do. DCFS then suggested I call the police department because there had been an arrest in the case during the last weekend. Although I was uncertain that this was the appropriate agency for this situation, I called anyway. The dispatcher informed me that he would be sending an officer over to talk to me. Officer Jackson and Officer Kitner arrived shortly and listened thoroughly to my concerns about this adolescent. They took my statement and said that they would follow up on this case and inform me of any findings.

The next day Officer Jackson called to let me know of the action taken. They had tracked down several of this boy’s family members and friends in town to ensure that he had a place to stay. They had also contacted the boy’s father in Chicago, who may be taking custody of him. I felt as though they had real compassion for this young man in need. The performance of the two officers I worked with convinced me that the professionalism in the Lincoln Police Department is outstanding.

Sincerely,

Kelly McCraith, SSP

School Psychologist

Today’s history

Compiled by Dave Francis

Saturday, Oct. 27

299th day of the year

Quotes

"There can be no 50-50 Americanism in this country. There is room here for only 100 percent Americanism, only for those who are Americans and nothing else." — Theodore Roosevelt

"Those are my principles, and if you don’t like them... well, I have others." — Groucho Marx (1890-1977)

Birthdays

1728 — James Cook, Scotland, captain and explorer, discovered Sandwich Islands

1858 — Theodore Roosevelt, (Republican) 26th president (1901-09), (Nobel, 1906)

1872 — Emily Post, authority on social behavior, writer (Etiquette)

1894 — Fritz Sauckel, German Nazi general of labor

1901 — Marlene Dietrich, German actress and entertainer ("Angel")

1939 — John Cleese, comedian and actor ("Monty Python," "Fawlty Towers")

1940 — Lee Greenwood, country singer ("God Bless the USA")

Events

B.C. — Marcus Brutus, assassinated Julius Caesar, dies in Rome

625 — Honorius I begins his reign as Catholic pope

1775 — U.S. Navy established

1919 — U.S. Congress passes Volstead Act

1938 — DuPont announces its new synthetic fiber will be called "nylon"

1941 — Chicago Daily Tribune editorializes there will not be war with Japan

1947 — "You Bet Your Life," with Groucho Marx, premieres on ABC radio

1978 — Begin and Sadat win Nobel Peace Prize

1997 — U.S. releases a redesigned $50 bill

 

Sunday, Oct. 28

300th day of the year

Quotes

"I feel that the greatest reward for doing is the opportunity to do more." — Dr. Jonas Salk

"Tell The Truth" — Instruction sent by telegram from Grover Cleveland to his campaign committee, which had been asked to comment on his fathering an illegitimate child.

Birthdays

1810 — Brig. Gen. Adley H. Gladden, Louisiana, killed at Shiloh

1914 — Dr. Jonas Salk, New York City, medical researcher, made polio a fear of the past

1926 — Bowie Kuhn, baseball commissioner (1969-1984)

1936 — Charlie Daniels, country music star ("The Devil Went Down to Georgia")

1949 — Bruce Jenner, U.S. decathalete (Olympic gold-medal winner, 1976)

1955 — Bill Gates, billionaire CEO (Microsoft)

Events

1492 — Christopher Columbus discovers Cuba

1636 — Harvard University (Boston) established

1704 — John Locke, English philosopher ("Two Treatises of Government"), dies at 72

1776 — Battle of White Plains; Washington retreats to New Jersey

1793 — Eli Whitney applies for a patent on the cotton gin

1886 — Statue of Liberty dedicated by President Grover Cleveland and celebrated with the first confetti (ticker tape) parade in New York City

1904 — St. Louis police try a new investigation method: fingerprints

1962 — Khrushchev orders withdrawal of missiles from Cuba, ending crisis

1965 — Gateway Arch (630 feet high) completed in St Louis, Mo.

Many Halloween activities
for Lincoln youngsters

[OCT. 26, 2001]  Official trick or treat time for Lincoln youngsters is 5 to 8 p.m. on Halloween, Wednesday, Oct. 31, according to Alderman Verl Prather, chairman of the city’s police committee.

As usual, the Police Department will be handing out treats in the back parking lot of the safety complex from 6 to 8 p.m., said Police Chief Rich Montcalm. Squad cars with lights will help youngsters find the way, and McGruff the Crime Dog will be on hand to welcome them.

There are activities scheduled earlier in the week, as well. On Monday, Oct. 29, about 800 youngsters in kindergarten through third grade from all Lincoln schools will gather at Lincoln Community High School to see a Halloween safety play put on by the Thespians and the Lincoln Police Department.

On Tuesday, Oct 30, children through sixth grade will be entertained at the Recreation Center on Primm Road from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Before coming to the Recreation Center, children are invited to put on their costumes and visit the Maple Ridge Care Centre, 2202 N. Kickapoo, where they will trick or treat and visit the residents between 4 and 6 p.m.

 

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Activities at the Recreation Center include a costume contest, carved pumpkin judging, games, information booths and tons of treats, said Roy Logan, program coordinator.

Parents are invited to stay with their children and make the Recreation Center program a "family night," he said.

The family night is free of charge because "We get a lot of support from the community, with donations from businesses and the sponsorship of Maple Ridge," Logan said. "The Lincoln businesses have been very generous this year," he added.

Logan expects at least 500 youngsters to attend the Rec Center program.

[Joan Crabb]

Halloween comes early in Elkhart

[OCT. 26, 2001]  The children of the village of Elkhart will be treated to a "Scare Day in the Park" from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27.

The event includes:

•  Costume judging and prizes awarded in age groups from infant through high school.

•  Pumpkin carving contests.

•  Games.

•  Gifts for all participants.

•  Hot dogs, chips and drink.

Funds to support the event are provided by the village and by the Needs and Goals Club of Elkhart.

The all-town trick-or-treating will be Wednesday, Halloween evening, from 4 to 8. Participants are urged to visit homes displaying their porch lights during those hours.

Village trustee Charlie Matthews stated, "Children are our most precious resource. We urge everyone to cooperate and ensure that our young people have a safe and happy Halloween experience. We also appreciate the generous support of the community in hosting events for our youth."

[News release]

 

Logan County Board

Board sends deficit budget to the printer

[OCT. 26, 2001]  After numerous revisions, the Logan County Board voted 12-1 Thursday night to approve a 2002 budget with a $313,238 deficit in the general fund. The final vote to adopt this budget will come at the November board meeting, but Finance Committee Chairman Rod White cautioned that any changes after the budget is reprinted would be prohibitively expensive. "I would ask that this vote hold" in November, White said.

The lone no vote was cast by Jim Griffin, who said, "I will not vote for a deficit budget." Board member Clifford Sullivan made the motion to approve the budget, and Tom Cash seconded it. County auditor Gary Hetherington figured in the impact of each motion passed during the budget session.

The largest addition to the budget made Thursday night was approximately $23,333 for a 3.4 percent cost-of-living salary adjustment for all county employees whose pay is neither set by statute nor separately adjusted in the budget. These increases, calculated on the total eligible salaries in each department, are to be allotted to each officeholder and department head; officeholders will then direct the funds to their employees. The vote to approve was unanimous.

One large item was not added. No one moved to include any funds for an industrial park. At a presentation at Lincoln College on Wednesday, Economic Development Director Mark Smith presented plans for a new industrial park and asked the Logan County Board as well as the Lincoln City Council for a monetary commitment within two to three weeks. He suggested $500,000 to $600,000 from the county’s board.

 

The largest decrease from the county’s fiscal year 2002 preliminary budget was $147,500 for building and grounds. Cuts in provisions for dome repair, sidewalks and curbs, a new elevator, and park lighting made up this sum. However, the board also voted to transfer $70,000 to the current building and grounds budget from the 2001 contingency fund to meet unpaid bills. These include fiber optics and carpentry at the Dr. John Logan County Building. In fact, nearly $400,000 for capital improvements has been spent in 2001.

The first action of the evening was a unanimous vote to add $10,500 to the levy for groups aiding senior citizens, increasing the total to $80,000. By law the maximum levy is $93,750. Dayle Eldredge, Dom Dalpoas and Jane Poertner, executive directors of the three groups receiving funding, had prepared a joint proposal which earmarked $10,125 for a health van operated by Rural Health Partnership, $37,173 to Oasis and $32,702 to CIEDC for senior nutrition and senior transportation programs. The Oasis and CIEDC numbers are 70 percent of original requests, whereas Rural Health Partnership received its full request, which was the same as last year’s.

 

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Logan County Supervisor of Assessments Rosanne Brosamer said farmland values are down 10 percent this year and are expected to be down an additional 10 percent in 2002 and again in 2003 and 2004. Despite this, she said she projects the "2001 budget year a wash" with 2000. White said of property tax income, "I want everyone to be aware that it’s flattening out, starting to turn down."

Similarly, revenue from fines and fees will at best be flat in the projected future, he said. And sales tax receipts have dropped as a result of the Turris Coal mine being annexed into the town of Elkhart.

Increases for two offices were accomplished without adding to the budget, thanks to a balance of about $8,000 in the County Farm fund. The board voted 10-3 to spend $5,000 of this money to increase economic development funding. Griffin, Lloyd Hellman and David Hepler dissented. Another $5,000 from the County Farm fund went toward consideration of a golf course on airport property. A feasibility study has already been funded, but Airport Committee Chairman Roger Bock asked for the $5,000 in case of additional needs. Griffin, Hellman, Dick Logan, Dale Voyles and Terry Werth disagreed.

Going back into the County Farm fund were $1,500 previously earmarked for chamber of commerce memberships for all county employees and $1,000 for a Spoon River tourism program. As a result of the four votes, only $500 in the fund remains undesignated.

 

Several other items listed at the beginning of the session as possible deletions from the 2002 budget were reinstated. One was a full $15,000 for a vehicle for Emergency Services and Disaster Agency Coordinator Dan Fulscher. The 9-1-1 board has voted to provide another $15,000 toward the vehicle, a half-ton pickup with heavy-duty suspension to pull trailers. Law Enforcement Committee Chairman Doug Dutz explained that the vehicle will be bid out and that Fulscher plans to pay a third of each year’s vehicle cost for personal use. Negative votes were cast by board members Griffin, Hellman and White.

Also reinstated were $7,000 for trial costs and $18,000 for indigent defendant costs. Both State’s Attorney Tim Huyett and Circuit Judge Dave Coogan explained that the upcoming trial of two people accused of infant murder will require these funds, especially since one defendant will use the public defender. "A public defender on a murder case costs a ton of money," Coogan said.

[Lynn Shearer Spellman]

Today’s history

Compiled by Dave Francis

Friday, Oct. 26

298th day of the year

Quotes

"Where force is necessary, there it must be applied boldly, decisively and completely." — Leon Trotsky

"Throughout the 1980s, we did hear too much about individual gain and the ethos of selfishness and greed. We did not hear enough about how to be a good member of a community, to define the common good and to repair the social contract." — Hillary Clinton

Birthdays

1855 — Charles Post of breakfast cereal fame

1879 — Leon Trotsky, Russian revolutionary (president of first Soviet)

1916 — Francois Mitterand, Jarnac, France, president of France (1981-1995)

1917 — Felix the Cat, cartoon character

1919 — Mohammad Reza Pahlavi Aryamehr, shah of Iran (1941-79)

1946 — Pat Sajak, Chicago, TV host ("Wheel of Fortune," "Pat Sajak Show")

1947 — Jaclyn Smith, Houston, Texas, actress ("Charlie’s Angels," "Nightkill")

1947 — Hillary Rodham Clinton, first lady (1993-2001)

Events

1492 — Lead pencils first used

1774 — First Continental Congress adjourns in Philadelphia

1774 — Minute Men organized in colonies

1787 — "Federalist Papers" published, calls for ratification of Constitution

1825 — Erie Canal between Hudson River and Lake Erie opened

1863 — Worldwide Red Cross organized in Geneva

1949 — President Truman increases minimum wage from 40 cents to 75 cents

1964 — Rolling Stones appear on the Ed Sullivan Show

1970 — "Doonesbury" comic strip debuts in 28 newspapers

1972 — Igor Sikorsky, Russian-U.S. helicopter builder, dies

1985 — On a poor call in sixth game, umpire Don Deckinger starts a string of events costing Cardinals the 82nd World Series

 

 

 

EDC proposes north-side industrial park, seeks community support

[OCT. 25, 2001]  Development of a proposed 63-acre industrial park north of town could bring the Lincoln/Logan County area many financial benefits, but first the community must commit to supporting the project, Mark Smith, economic development director, told a group of local officials and businessmen Wednesday evening.

Members of the Lincoln/Logan County Economic Development Council, the EDC, have been seeking a site for an industrial park for the past 18 months, he said. The EDC now has an option to purchase 63.5 acres at Business 55 and Kruger Road, between the north Interstate 55 interchange and the Logan County Airport, for $678,000, he told the group assembled at the Lincoln College Library lecture room.

In addition, a developer is ready to put up a building on speculation if the land can be acquired and improved, Smith said. The developer, Tamkin of Los Angeles, Calif., has done other construction in the city and is currently the developer for the addition to Willamette Industries.

The creation of the industrial park hinges on getting community support to finance the project, which will add up to a total investment of $3.1 to $3.3 million. This includes cost of the land, cost of running utilities to the site and cost of extending them to the various industries within the site, Smith said.

 

The fully developed park could bring in a total of $321 million in wages to employees living in the county in 10 years, Smith said, and as much as $561,000 in property tax revenue yearly. He projected a total of 455 employees earning from $8 to $20 per hour when the facility is completed.

Smith said he was not asking for a commitment from Lincoln City Council or Logan County Board members immediately but would like to have one soon, within two or three weeks. However, county board and city council members present wanted to know specifics of the financial commitment the EDC would expect.

Rod White, finance chairman of the county board, asked Smith what he thought the commitment from the board should be. Smith suggested $500,000 to $600,000.

"We have a half million dollar deficit now," White replied.

Lincoln Alderman Pat Madigan asked what kind of figures Smith was looking for from the city. Smith suggested the city look at running the utilities out to the park, a cost of $1.3 million.

Madigan asked why the council and the county board had not been told more about the project sooner, if it has been in the planning stages for 18 months.

"I didn’t know about this meeting until last night," he said.

 

Todd Lohman, a member of the EDC, said the group didn’t have the land option until mid-September. "We didn’t think we could come to anyone until the land was locked up," he said.

"Can we as the city council and can the county board meet your commitment in two weeks?" Alderman Steve Fuhrer asked.

"Experts have offered to sit down with you and show you how to do it," Smith replied.

One of those experts, Joe Somerset, formerly of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs, who spoke earlier to the group, said there were many options to finance the project. "The object tonight is to commit in theory, not in quantity. It takes time to work out the options."

Some of the options listed in the handout compiled by EDC were municipal bonds, local financial institutions, private foundations, Illinois FIRST and other state and federal grants, local taxes, and private investors and developers. However, Smith said, the community must make a commitment before other potential investors will come on board.

 

 

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Fuhrer asked Smith why the EDC chose land north of the city instead of a site to the west, where there is already development.

Smith said of the nine prospects who visited the Lincoln area in the past year, eight of them preferred the north site because of immediate interstate access and a limited number of conflicting land uses, such as housing and schools.

Smith pointed out that the population of Logan County is static, and job growth and earnings growth are both negative. High-paying jobs have been lost and replaced with low-paying service jobs, and the median age in the county is going up because young people must leave the area to find good jobs. Community surveys show that residents want more and higher-paying jobs that will enable young people to stay in the community and will expand and broaden the tax base.

He said the community needs the industrial park if it is to attract new industry and get those higher-paying jobs. Most business prospects today are demanding sites with utilities already present, and many want an existing building. Logan County cannot compete with other towns and cities, many of them smaller, which have already developed industrial parks.

Jerry Johnson of Atlanta, a member of EDC, said the reason Atlanta got the Holland trucking company was because "We had a piece of ground and they wanted it.

"It is hard to find commercial ground around Lincoln that’s got a set price on it. I think it has hurt Lincoln and Logan County big time."

 

Several speakers urged officials to take advantage of the opportunity to support the industrial park. Dave Hawkinson, a Lincoln resident and formerly director of the Logan County Chamber of Commerce, named other community projects that have been successful, particularly the enterprise zone.

"Over 95 percent of the projects that have taken place in Lincoln since the enterprise zone was established took place in the enterprise zone," he said.

"It was evident when I came here it would be difficult to get most industrial prospects because we don’t have a site," he added. "When a prospect comes shopping and you don’t have what they want, they can go someplace else. You’ve got new opportunities in front of you. Don’t let them pass you by."

Tim Rogers, who oversees 18 counties for DCCA, said companies are leaving the Chicago and suburban area because of the high cost of land.

"They sell dirt by the square foot, not the acre," he said. Many firms are starting to move to places like Dwight, Pontiac and Ottawa. Lincoln, because it is on the I-55 corridor, has good prospects, but to compete must have some type of industrial park.

"It’s your time. Let’s stop talking about it and do it," Somerset told the group.

Both Logan County Board Chairman Dick Logan and Lincoln Mayor Beth Davis have asked Smith to present the EDC plan to the local governing bodies soon.

[Joan Crabb]

 

Wright speaks up on insurance issues for state employees and retired teachers

[OCT. 25, 2001]  On Oct. 23, Rep. Jonathan Wright, R-Hartsburg, attended a briefing by the Illinois Economic and Fiscal Commission. "Although I am not a member of the commission, I attended the briefing because the state is facing difficult financial times, and I want to be informed as possible," Wright said.

The Illinois Economic and Fiscal Commission revised their estimate for fiscal year 2002 to reflect a $329 million decrease in total federal and state revenue sources. The commission was informed that we are in a recession. At this time, no one can guarantee how long this recession will last.

In addition, Central Management Services also updated the status of two critical programs. During the briefing, CMS indicated that preliminary figures indicate that the funding for the state employees’ group insurance is short $100 million to $110 million for fiscal year 2002. CMS further warned that if the Legislature did not take any remedial action, the state would be forced to hold payment of claims for 100 days.

 

"This is unacceptable. The Legislature must take corrective action during the November veto session. No state employee should be forced to wait 100 days to receive reimbursement for a legitimate claim," Wright commented.

 

[to top of second column in this article]

In addition, CMS informed the commission that TRIP, the insurance program for retired teachers, is short $28.8 million for fiscal year 2002. If no action is taken in this regard, CMS would have to raise premiums for retired teachers by 80 percent early next calendar year.

"The retired teachers already were forced to accept a 21 percent premium increase early this year," Wright said. "We must make this a priority in November to properly fund this program without adding any increased premiums to retired teachers. These are people who have dedicated their lives to educating our children, and I will make every effort to see that this fund is properly funded without any additional cost to the retired teachers."

The commission will have another meeting in December of 2001 to further assess the stability of the economy.

[News release]

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Today’s history

Compiled by Dave Francis

Thursday, Oct. 25

297th day of the year

Quotes

"I’d like to live as a poor man with lots of money." — Pablo Picasso

"All of us learn to write by the second grade; then most of us go on to other things." — Bob Knight, basketball coach, critiquing a sportswriter

Birthdays

1825 — Johann Baptist Strauss, (the younger), Austria, composer (known as "The Waltz King")

1838 — Georges (Alexandre Cesar Leopold) Bizet, France, composer ("Carmen")

1869 — John Heisman, pioneering football coach and trophy namesake

1881 — Pablo Picasso, Malaga, Spain, artist ("Single Dancer," "Two Dancers," "Guernica")

1888 — Richard E. Byrd, Virginia, admiral and polar explorer (1926)

1912 — Jack Kent Cooke, NFL team owner (Washington Redskins)

1912 — Minnie Pearl [Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon], Tennessee, ("Grand Ole Opry," "Hee Haw")

1940 — Bob Knight, college basketball coach (Indiana; Olympic gold-medal team, 1984)

1967 — Julia Roberts, Smyrna, Ga., actress ("Mystic Pizza," "Pretty Woman")

Events

625 — Boniface V ends his reign as Catholic pope

1400 — Geoffrey Chaucer, author, dies in London

1760 — George III ascends the British throne

1764 — John Adams marries Abigail Smith (marriage lasts 54 years)

1854 — The Light Brigade charges (Battle of Balaklava in Crimean War)

1870 — Pimlico Race Course opens in Baltimore

1870 — Postcards first used in US

1881 — Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday and Clanton engage in "Shootout at OK Corral"

1917 — In Russia, Bolsheviks led by Vladimir Lenin seize power

1924 — First appearance of Little Orphan Annie comic strip

1935 — Hurricane-produced floods kill 2,000 in Jeremie and Jacmel, Haiti

1944 — Japanese navy defeated at battle of Leyte Gulf

1964 — Viking Jim Marshall runs 66 yards in the wrong direction for a safety

1983 — U.S. invades Grenada

1992 — Roger Miller, country singer ("King of the Road"), dies at 56

1993 — Vincent Price, actor ("Raven," "Fly"), dies of lung cancer at 82

1995 — Bobby Riggs, tennis star, dies of prostate cancer at 77

1999 — Payne Stewart, golfer, airplane accident

County seeking city’s help
on Fifth Street repair

[OCT. 24, 2001]  Logan County officials are looking for funds to repair 10.3 miles of Fifth Street and have asked Lincoln Mayor Beth Davis to join them in sending a letter to state and federal legislators who might help get money for the project.

Tom Hickman, Logan County highway engineer, told the Lincoln City Council at its Oct. 23 work session that the design is completed for the west five miles of the Fifth Street project, but the county does not have enough money to complete that section as it would like.

The county has the money either to do the five-mile section in base rock and oil-and-chip or to do two miles of the section with asphalt surfacing. He said if the county waits to accumulate enough motor fuel tax funds to complete the project, estimated at $13.7 million, it will take 15 to 20 years.

He said that at its next meeting, on Nov. 9, the road and bridge committee of the Logan County Board will discuss the possibility of issuing bonds to fund its share of the project. However, because agricultural property values are dropping, the county would prefer not to issue bonds and would like to find other alternatives.

The 10.3 miles of Fifth Street to be repaired, the stretch between Lincoln Parkway and the Middletown-New Holland blacktop, falls into four jurisdictions, according to Donnie Osborne, Lincoln street superintendent.

The area from Lincoln Parkway to the west property line of the Picture This photography studio belongs to the city, except for about one mile that still belongs to the state. The rest of the road belongs to Logan County and West Lincoln Township.

Fifth Street is a major collector on the west side of Lincoln, Hickman told the council, and needs rebuilding from the base up, realigning, widening and, in some places, straightening. Traffic is increasing because of new subdivisions built in the area and the four industries along the city’s part of the street.

Grant Eaton, sewer plant manager, asked Hickman if the county would want the city’s participation in funding the project when construction starts and reminded Hickman that several years ago the council voted to set aside the Fifth Street project for 10 years, citing other street projects that needed to be done first.

 

[to top of second column in this article]

The city’s portion would be about $3.5 million and would be more expensive per mile than the county’s part because the city would install curbs and gutters and put in turn lanes, Osborne said.

City attorney Bill Bates asked Hickman how the county would allocate expenses if it did receive a grant for some of the road work.

"If you get $5 million, who’s going to say what is the city’s part and what is the county’s part?" he asked.

Hickman replied that the money would be prorated.

The council directed Bates to study the matter and decide if the city would be under any obligation if Mayor Davis signed the letter asking for funds.

In other business, the council also discussed a request from the city’s police union to allow police officers’ work schedules to be changed to 12-hour shifts on a trial basis. Although aldermen spoke in favor of the change, Bates said it would be opening up the contract and suggested the shift change should be negotiated as part of a new contract. The present contract expires on April 30, 2002.

Aldermen also discussed reroofing the Hamilton Street garage at a cost of about $15,600 and debated whether the project could be done without letting bids.

A public hearing on vacating the alley behind property at 314 S. Jefferson St., where Casey General Store wants to build, was set for 7:15 p.m on Nov. 5.

Economic development officer Mark Smith announced that a meeting of the Economic Development Council, a joint venture of the city, county and chamber of commerce, will be at 7 p.m. Oct. 24 at the library at Lincoln College.

[Joan Crabb]

Restored statue to return on Thursday

[OCT. 24, 2001]  Main Street Lincoln received word this week that the restoration of the Indian mother statue is complete, and she will be returning to Lincoln soon. The statue has been in the hands of David Seagraves at his rural Elizabeth, Ill., studio for the last five months.

Seagraves came highly recommended, having completed several works for the Illinois Capital Development Board. He specializes in small sculptures, architectural carvings and carved furniture. Several of his works have won awards at the International Woodcarver’s Congress, the largest show of its kind in the United States.

Seagraves has been using the latest technology on the Indian mother’s restoration. After smoothing out the "wrinkles" and wear from years of exposure, an Alpha electric water-fed grinder with flexible diamond discs was used to define the contours. The missing hand and water jug were carved and attached, using the intact hand and pictures provided by the Art Institute of Chicago as guides.

"The results are incredible," according to Wendy Bell, Main Street Lincoln program manager. Seagraves included pictures of the statue in her restored condition. Laying one next to a before photo shows a dramatic difference. "He has brought her back to life," said Bell.

The statue was originally sculpted by Charles Mulligan from Tennessee pink marble. Mulligan is best known for his works "Law and Knowledge" and "Justice and Power" that stand outside the Illinois Supreme Court Building, as well as the Illinois Memorial at Vicksburg.

The Indian mother statue was featured at the Illinois State Fair before its placement on the Logan County Courthouse grounds in 1906. The Lincoln Woman’s Club contracted for its creation and gathered the funds to pay for it. Its inscription tells the story "of the people, by the people, for the people."

The statue served as a public drinking fountain, and many locals have stories to tell. Gene Baker, who is laying the bricks for the statue’s plaza, remembers "stopping to drink from the fountain often as a boy." Those good memories are his reason for wanting to be involved with the project. The base of the statue also had small pools carved out, where excess water would go and provide drinks for pets that needed refreshment.

 

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It is believed that, unfortunately, using the statue as a fountain contributed to her demise and the loss of her hand and water jug in the 1940s. No one seems to know where they went, but the Indian mother has had only one hand for more than half a century.

Burnetta DePuy from the Lincoln’s Woman Club took the statue on as a club project more than a decade ago. DePuy partnered with Main Street Lincoln about six years ago.

Since then the restoration has proceeded in slow increments due to lack of photos to go by, lack of materials and lack of funds. After other issues had been resolved, a concerted fund drive began about a year ago.

When the statue returns Thursday afternoon, Oct. 25, she will be placed on the south side of the Logan County Courthouse on a new concrete pad with footings below the frost line. The pad, poured by Mark Gates, is the initial stage in a larger plaza that will include memorial bricks, benches, a plaque telling the story and landscaping. That part will be finished in the spring.

Those who wish to contribute to the project may still purchase bricks through Christmas. They are $25 each, and forms are available at the Main Street Lincoln office, 303 S. Kickapoo, or by calling 732-2929.

The Indian mother’s rededication will take place on Friday, Oct. 26, at 4 p.m., exactly 95 years to the day that she was originally dedicated. The ceremony will be at the statue site or, in case of rain, inside the courthouse.

The rededication is closely following the original ceremony, with a presentation speech by County Board Chairman Dick Logan and the singing of "America" by the Lincoln Community High School choir. Tim McCormick, nephew of the late Judge Donald McCormick, will give a portion of his uncle’s original acceptance speech.

The public is encouraged to attend. A reception in the courthouse rotunda will follow, hosted by the Lincoln Woman’s Club and assisted by the Junior Woman’s Club.

[News release]

Today’s history

Compiled by Dave Francis

Wednesday, Oct. 24

296th day of the year

Quotes

"You can go a long way with a smile. You can go a lot farther with a smile and a gun." — Al Capone (1899-1947)

"Wanted: Young, skinny, wiry fellows not over 18. Must be expert riders willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred. Wages $25 per week." — Pony Express advertisement (1860)

Birthdays

1788 — Sarah Josepha Hale, author ("Mary Had a Little Lamb")

1911 — Clarence M. Kelley, FBI head

1926 — Y.A. Tittle, AAFC-NFL quarterback (Baltimore, San Francisco, N.Y. Giants, MVP 1963)

1930 — Big Bopper [J.P. Richardson], Sabine Pass, Texas, vocalist ("Chantilly Lace")

1948 — Kweisi Mfume, U.S. representative, D-Md., and CEO of the NAACP

1960 — Ian Baker-Finch, Nambour, Queensland, PGA golfer (1991 British Open)

Events

1648 — Treaty of Westphalia ends the Thirty Years War and Holy Roman Empire

1861 — First transcontinental telegram sent, ending Pony Express

1881 — Levi P. Morton, U.S. ambassador to France, drives first rivet in Statue of Liberty

1882 — Dr. Robert Koch discovers germ that causes tuberculosis

1904 — First New York subway opens

1929 — "Black Thursday," start of stock market crash, Dow Jones down 12.8 percent

1931 — Gangster Al Capone is sentenced to 11 years for tax evasion

1957 — Christian Dior, French designer (New Look), dies at 52 in Italy

1962 — In Cuban missile crisis, the U.S. blockade of Cuba begins

1972 — Jackie Robinson, first black baseball player (Brooklyn Dodgers), dies at 53

1973 — Yom Kippur War ends; Israel 65 miles from Cairo, 26 miles from Damascus

1989 — Rev. Jim Bakker is sentenced to 50 years for fraud

1991 — Gene Roddenberry, creator of "Star Trek," dies of cardiac arrest at 70

1996 — Last game at Atlanta County Fulton Stadium. Yanks win record eighth-straight postseason game.

Today’s history

Compiled by Dave Francis

Tuesday, Oct. 23

295th day of the year

Quotes

"Never continue in a job you don’t enjoy. If you’re happy in what you’re doing, you’ll like yourself, you’ll have inner peace. And if you have that, along with physical health, you will have had more success than you could possibly have imagined." — Johnny Carson

"A single death is a tragedy, a million deaths is a statistic." — Joseph Stalin

Birthdays

1905 — Felix Bloch, U.S. physicist (Nobel, 1952)

1925 — Johnny Carson, Corning, Iowa, comedian ("The Tonight Show," "Who Do You Trust?")

1935 — Chi Chi Rodriguez, golfer (PGA Seniors, 1987)

1956 — Dwight Yoakam, country singer ("If There Was a Way")

1959 — "Weird Al" Yankovic, parody singer ("Eat It," "UHF," "Naked Gun")

1962 — Doug Flute, WFL-NFL quarterback (Generals, Bears, Patriots)

Events

1939 — Zane Grey, U.S. Western writer ("The Spirit of the Border"), dies at 67

1941 — Walt Disney’s "Dumbo" released

1942 — During World War II, Britain launches major offensive at El Alamein, Egypt

1944 — Soviet army invades Hungary

1945 — Jackie Robinson signs Montreal Royal contract

1950 — Al Jolson [Asa Yoelson], singer and actor ("The Jazz Singer"), dies at 64

1983 — Suicide terrorist truck bomb kills 243 U.S. personnel in Beirut

Identifying homes and buildings of historic, architectural and cultural significance

[OCT. 22, 2001]  The city of Lincoln’s Historic Homes and Buildings Committee had its regular meeting on Monday, Oct. 15, in the office of Mayor Beth Davis.

The committee finalized plans for two workshops designed to educate participants on sources of information available for research of properties in Lincoln. "Follow the Information Trail" will be presented at the Lincoln Public Library on Jan. 8, 2002, from 6:30 to 8 p.m.; a repeat of the workshop will be at the library on Jan. 15 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The committee continues to develop a list of criteria for identifying homes and buildings of historic, architectural and cultural significance.

The next meeting of the committee is at 5 p.m. Nov. 19 at City Hall.

[News release]

Today’s history

Compiled by Dave Francis

Monday, Oct. 22

294th day of the year

Quotes

"Tune in, turn on, drop out." — Dr. Timothy Leary

"Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names." — John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Birthdays

1810 — Henry Bohlen, brigadier general (Union volunteers), died in 1862

1887 — John Reed, journalist who reported on Mexican, Russian revolutions

1920 — Timothy Leary, Harvard professor, LSD taker

Events

1721 — Czar Peter the Great becomes "All-Russian Emperor"

1746 — Princeton University (N.J.) received its charter

1836 — Sam Houston inaugurated as first elected president of Republic of Texas

1934 — Charles "Pretty Boy" Floyd shot dead by FBI in Ohio

1938 — First Xerox copy made

1962 — JFK addresses TV about Russian missile bases in Cuba

1962 — JFK imposes naval blockade on Cuba, beginning missile crisis

1981 — U.S. national debt tops $1 trillion

America strikes back

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.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/

http://www.washtimes.com/

 

More newspaper links

http://www.thepaperboy.com/ 

Announcements

Landfill to be open seven days a week for leaf and brush disposal

[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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