Monday, June 17

Parents of LDC residents won’t give up

[JUNE 17, 2002]  They may be down, but they’re not out.

Even though Gov. George Ryan has announced the complete closure of the Lincoln Developmental Center, the Lincoln Parents Association, a group of about 250 parents of LDC residents, is not giving up the fight to save the institution that, they affirm over and over again, is taking good care of their children.

"I absolutely will not quit until I hear the key in the lock, and maybe not even then," said Janet Bruns of Taylorville.

"Somebody set this place up to close many years ago. Many of the charges are bogus. They are not even charges, only allegations. Somebody has a political agenda."

Bruns was one of about 50 parents from all over central Illinois who got together Saturday at Lincoln’s Depot restaurant to talk over the latest developments and meet with the press. Ironically, exactly 40 years ago that day she put her daughter into LDC.

"Her life expectancy at birth was one year. She’s 42 now. Without their good care she would not be here."

 


[Robert and Eileen Springer of Eureka have been
happy with the care their daughter has received
at LDC since 1984.]

Robert Springer of Eureka said the allegations of abuse and neglect that led to the decision to close the 125-year-old facility have been blown out of proportion.

"The governor said a new management team was being sent in to put the facility back on track. The team was not looking for positives but for negatives. They were looking for things they could report. We see no good reason why LDC should be closed."

He said he and his wife, Eileen, have never felt any fear about their daughter, Jannie, who has been at LDC since 1984.

Several of the parents were concerned that the Department of Human Services, the state agency in charge of LDC, would move their sons or daughters to group homes. These homes, which house eight residents each, do not have the trained staff to adequately care for their loved ones, they say.

 


[Rosemary Murray (left), formerly of San Jose, and Joanne Courtwright of Lincoln, both widows in frail health, are concerned about the future of their sons when LDC closes.]

"They’ve been telling me all along my son would never have to leave Lincoln," said Rosemary Murray, a widow in frail health. She held up a letter she had received that morning.

"Now they are telling me they are considering him for community placement. He has been in community placement, and he became so self-abusive he had to be hospitalized. He was admitted to LDC, and they brought him back to a proper functioning level."

Joanne Courtwright, also a widow with health problems, cites a similar experience. In 1980, her son was sent to another facility but had to be brought back to LDC.

"He’s subject to seizures," she said. "Doctors and nurses at LDC monitor him and can tell when he is in danger of a seizure and take the proper precautions. This kind of care would not be available in a group home."

 

"My daughter can’t be anywhere else. We tried community placement, and it didn’t work out. I couldn’t take care of her at home, and I couldn’t travel a long way to see her," said Jerry May of Peoria.

 

[to top of second column in this article]

Angie Gaffigan, a registered nurse, has had a son at LDC for the last 10 years. She says she brings him home regularly and does a body assessment, so she knows he’s well cared for.

"LDC is safer for him than community placement, because in group homes there are not that many people around. The chance for abuse and neglect is greater in a group home than in a facility with more staff.

"I’ve been in group homes where you can smell the urine and feces, and I know good ones are difficult to find. The threat of having their son or daughter put in a group home is a big concern for parents who are aging."

Parents are also unhappy with the lack of communication with DHS. "We can’t get information about what’s happening. The department doesn’t respond to letters we write. We need to get our questions answered," Eleanor Newmister said.

"DHS is masterful at keeping information from our association as well as from the public," said Pat Brown, co-president of the parents association. "They use confidentiality rules as an obstructive tool.

"We can’t get information about what was actual reported to upper-echelon DHS bureaucrats or to the governor, so there is no way we can refute any charges. We can get information about our particular loved one but not anything else," he said.

"It’s not time to give up now," Brown told the group. "We are going to continue the fight. We know we are in the right."

 


[Pat and Linda Brown of Leroy, co-presidents of Lincoln Parents Association, study a list of senators who voted to keep LDC open.]

Keeping up the fight means leaning on politicians, he said. The group has tallied the votes of members of the state Senate, which recently failed to override the governor’s veto on restoring LDC funding.

"Politicians need votes. Those that voted against us need to be encouraged to do the right thing," Brown said.

He said he was disappointed with Senate Democrats, because only four voted to keep LDC open.

"The Cook County Democrats didn’t go with them. Logan County is Republican, and that’s the political world we live in."

 

The parents group should also keep the pressure on the two gubernatorial candidates, both of whom have promised to support LDC, he added. "One of those guys is going to be our next governor. Both have promised help."

Another way to continue the fight is the lawsuit filed by AFSCME, the union that represents most of the employees of LDC, Norlan and Eleanor Newmister, parents of an LDC resident, and Sen. Larry Bomke of Springfield, which is now before the Appellate Court.

Also, before closing LDC, Gov. Ryan must get a permit from the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board, and the board must schedule public hearings at which parents and others can testify.

[Joan Crabb]

 


Lincoln loses valued business/family man

[JUNE 17, 2002]  State police are investigating an accident that took the life of a well-known Lincoln resident, businessman and family man, 34-year-old Andrew Pettijohn.

Pettijohn was traveling east on Route 136 just east of Interstate 55 when a westbound car crossed into his lane. The 15-year-old unlicensed driver had lost control of her car when the right front tire left the roadway, and she overcompensated to the left, colliding with the right front of Pettijohn’s car.

Pettijohn was declared dead at the scene at 5:21 p.m. Friday. He was the sole occupant in his vehicle. He reportedly was not wearing his seat belt.

The 15-year-old was taken to BroMenn Regional Medical Center, Normal. Her identity and condition are being kept confidential. The other occupant in her vehicle was 17-year-old Molly Kitchens of Lincoln. Kitchens was taken to BroMenn and was then transferred to OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria, where her condition has been upgraded from serious to fair.

The 15-year-old was cited with no valid driver’s license, improper lane usage and seat belt violation. Kitchens will also be cited with seat belt violation and allowing an unauthorized person to drive.

 

[to top of second column in this article]

The accident took place in McLean County. The McLean County state’s attorney’s office will receive the state police reports and review the case.

[Jan Youngquist]

[Obituary]


Pettijohn remembered as generous

(Posted Monday afternoon)

[JUNE 17, 2002]  It is a great loss when a young husband and father’s life is cut short. A late-afternoon accident last Friday near McLean claimed the life of Andrew Pettijohn, the father of four girls and a boy. Pettijohn was known as a strong Christian family man as much as a generous businessman. The manager/co-owner of Domino’s Pizza was en route from Lincoln to his other store in Mahomet when the accident occurred at approximately 4:45 p.m.

Not only will the family of Pettijohn be affected by the tragic accident, but because of his friendly personality and generosity he will be deeply missed and remembered throughout the community. He was known to respond without hesitation to numerous requests to support small and large fund-raisers. Pizzas were supplied in abundance for walkers and talkers or rockers, whatever the cause and whoever needed feeding at a fund-raiser. He gave generously and without hesitation.

People also knew him in everyday life for his congeniality, even in the small things like his friendly manner of taking a pizza order. He would talk to some personally and not just about pizza. His sincere personality came through whether you were ordering a pizza or asking for a donation.

 

Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bobbi Abbott summed it up well: "Andy Pettijohn was a big man with a big heart and a big smile, and his untimely death will leave many family members and friends feeling a big loss. He was a self-made, successful business owner who went from delivering pizzas to owning two Domino’s franchises. Andy sponsored a hot-air balloon every year, and we celebrated the birth of his twins on the first day of the festival in 2000. We last saw Andy on Thursday night (June 13) when he came to office to donate pizza coupons for the Chamber Roundup. He was wearing one of those handmade "Greatest Dad" T-shirts, with the painted handprints of his kids, and that is how we will remember him. Andy was a terrific friend of the chamber of commerce, and his untimely death is truly a tragedy."

 

 

[to top of second column in this article]

Pettijohn began his business career as store manager when Larry and Diane Laughlin ran the Domino’s Pizza franchise in Lincoln. For several years during that period the Laughlins sponsored a balloon for the balloon fest. Dave and Kathy Reinke of Champaign own and pilot the balloon that was assigned to the Laughlins. Through this means, Dave Reinke became acquainted with Andy Pettijohn.

When the Laughlins decided to sell the franchise, Reinke and Pettijohn purchased it as partners. He and Pettijohn have been partners in Domino’s for approximately four years. Reinke said Pettijohn was "a marvelous guy to be partners with." He added, "I’m going to miss him very much."

Reinke said he considers Michelle Pettijohn to be his business partner now. She owns and operates Michelle’s Home and Garden on Kickapoo Street. Reinke emphasized that it is too soon to tell whether there will be any changes at Domino’s. Among other issues, franchise considerations are involved.

Larry Laughlin is expected to return to Lincoln from Dataw Island, S.C., to help out with Domino’s for a time.

The business was operating as usual Saturday night and expects to continue as before.

[Jan Youngquist and
Lynn Shearer Spellman]

[Obituary]

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