News Programming Apr 1995

They have no force of law but they do indicate what public out of it is though their order for people to participate in because they give officials a sense of where the public is coming from on a particular issue and and in some respects are just as important as attacking or to question on the ballot. About half of them are actually interview questions which relate to schools. Miss a pallet or four for road building or whatever so they're all revenue related. If Bob Dorough has that extra Volt I think I would know about it and I am not aware of it. Now I have to say there are. I am aware of some people who own arm under pressure who voted against it this last time who would much prefer be voting for it if we could have a secret ballot. I think it would pass

fairly comfortably. But that's not how our votes are cast or. Some version of a middle class tax cut is likely to get out of the House later this week. Simon says a number of senators would prefer that rescission savings go toward deficit reduction. Back in 1981 we had the Democrat. It's Republicans competing on a tax cut and it cost the federal government a huge amount of money in terms of our our deficit and it's cost us the York Federal Reserve Bank study and a couple of others have suggested that the deficit in the last 50 years has cost the average American about $5000 per year in income now Simon says a vote on a tax cuts would probably be in his words very close in the Senate. Simon also said that it is unlikely the Senate will revisit the balanced budget amendment in the near future. Speculation inside the beltway yesterday suggested

that Nevada Democratic junior senator Richard Bryan may change his vote giving supporters enough votes to send the amendment to the states. This is Dave Dickey. The University of Illinois public opinion class polled three hundred thirty eight voters one hundred fifty of which said they would likely vote for mayor of that one hundred fifty forty one percent said they'd vote for McCollum 20 percent for white hart and 35 percent were undecided. Most champagne voters are still undecided on the race for three at large council seats. Sixty five percent say they don't know who they'll vote for. While Ed Ryan leads the field of four with about 11 percent support when Gibson has 8 percent Maggie Mattingly almost seven percent. And Tony Fabry just over 3 percent. The poll goes on to say the issue of greatest concern in the Champaign-Urbana area is crime and violence. The economy ranks second in education is third. Sixty eight percent of Champaign-Urbana voters say sheeple when awake should be made illegal honored symbol of the University of Illinois. Almost 19 percent say however the chief should be retired. The poll was taken by

telephone during the last week of March. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percent. There are no complications and they feel they don't have to come and go. Yes. We've had 63 voters so far this morning. This has been a steady traffic crowd coming in and the large mobs but respectable for this type of vote. And we're working with some other people to try to do that at different sites. But I mean you know the idea is it took at least 10 years before they were able to to replicate findings regarding the genetics of that disorder and I'm sure that ADHD is at least as complicated as diabetes. The University of Illinois flash index of state growth climbed to one hundred seven point

three in March up two tenths of a percent from February. Since the recessionary low of 92 three years ago Illinois flash index has risen steadily. University of Illinois Institute of Government and Public Affairs economist John Chris Field says that Illinois economy hasn't been checked by recent increases and short term federal interest rates. And he adds future adjustments may be just a matter of time. No one really knows what the Fed is going to do but given what they have done over the past few months if they see evidence. A look at the Price Index and they see evidence of the economy in the first quarter as it is as strong as it seems to be. I wouldn't be surprised if they took that into account here and nudged up interest rates more. The flash index is a weighted average of state growth comprised of consumer spending personal income and corporate earnings. This is Dave Dickey. MCCOLLUM becomes the first mayor of champaign to be elected to three consecutive terms by defeating

retired police officer Jerry Schweinhart McCollum says solving the drainage problems of the boneyard and improving social services will be his priorities. Voter turnout for yesterday's election was low and McCollum says he's disappointed more people don't take an interest in local government. I don't think you can blame the candidates. For a failure to try to draw the vote out. And I don't think that we were at all of a sleeve on the issues I think Jerry spoke right up. I spoke right up. I don't know what else you can do. Schweinhart made crime the central issue of his campaign. He says people like to complain about the crime problem but he says it doesn't concern them enough to get them to the polls. Schweinhart says people had ample opportunity to discuss the crime issue with the candidates. We attended 12 different public forums but they were all very poorly attended but the opportunity was there. Dan and I presented ourselves to the public so they could hear the views.

Schweinhart has two years remaining on his term as a city council member candidates elected to four year terms on the city council where Maggie Mattingly Ed Ryan and Wendy Gibson. I'm Brant Wolf. McCollum has served as mayor of champaign since 1987 and defeated retired police officer Jerry. Hard to retain the position he says his priorities will remain much the same including reducing flooding along the boneyard. I think we've. Gotten into the drainage. Projects in a major way and I think those have to be seen through that's probably very early. Thing to have to deal with. Secondly I think the social issues McCollum says the city needs to do what it can to improve the lives of its children. He says that will reduce crime problems in the city. Crime was the major focus of Challenger Jerry Hart's campaign but he says people weren't concerned enough about crime to vote for a change in the mayor's office. Your crime I mentioned what I could do for the crime on the campus crime in and around the

schools and grab the neighborhoods back to the side and about people getting upset about the social packages back for two years in the autumn. Both candidates say they were disappointed by a low voter turnout. Schweinhart will serve the remaining two years of his city council term city council members elected to four year terms where Maggie Mattingly Ed Ryan and Wendy Gibson. I'm Brant Wolf. Will is complaining about flyers that were mailed to his constituents by Democratic House Minority Leader Michael Madigan's political action committee. The mailings accuse Winckel of supporting suburban Republicans over the interests of his district. I'm here to tell you that that's a damned lie. One flyer says Winckel is supporting House bill 267 as repayment for one hundred forty thousand dollars in donations to his election campaign from the state Republican Party. The bill would take money away from downstate schools in favor of the suburban Chicago district's

house built to 67. Never made it out of committee. It died in committee on March 16th. I have never been on a committee where hospital 267 was ever considered Winckel says other flyers have wrongly charged him with going back on campaign promises. The flyer says Winkle voted against truth in sentencing legislation. Illinois Democratic Party spokesman Steve Brown defends the flyers saying Winckel has voted against Democratic truth in sentencing and education proposals on procedural votes. Numerous times since taking office. 100 Republican Rick Winkle says fliers distributed in his district by the state Democratic Party are in his words a damn lie. The Flyers say he is supporting legislation which would take money from downstate schools in favor of DuPage County schools. It's a it's a low attempt to misguide my constituents as to my true position and I think that we need to get that message out that people need to realize that this attempt is being undertaken by Chicago politicians in an attempt to

mislead constituents in the 130 district wiggle says Democrats have been trying to introduce a variety of legislation on the floor of the house without going through committee. He says his vote against this legislation does not mean he favors the bill's stated in the Flyer's Democratic Party spokesman Steve Brown stands by the mailings. Well he supported efforts to trade. Vote on a plan that would fund education first in Illinois so he can make a lot of claims to you folks but the truth is which is why you know the bailing program was important because it tells directly to people in that particular district in the area what this guy is really going over the 130 district race has been contentious and close in the last two elections. Brown admits Democrats are sending these kinds of flyers to swing districts all over the state on rupture over. The senator says the national education technology funding corporation will improve the country's poor use of technology in the classroom. Moseley Braun says a new study shows school kids have access to computers but not the technology to

really make them valuable she adds improving school technology will aid ongoing school reform efforts. You can get all the information superhighway with no wheels. And so we want to try to provide the tools. With which our young people will be able to access this technology and hope that school reform efforts and the kind of attention being paid to education at the local level will help make these programs more efficient. The NE T.F. will try to collect federal and private money to put more TVs phone lines modems and connections to the Internet directly in classrooms. The General Accounting Office study shows most schools need this kind of equipment to use computers well. Another congressional study said even if classrooms are equipped with this kind of technology teachers often do not know how to use it. I'm not sure. Democrat Carol Moseley-Braun says school kids must know their way around the Information Superhighway. Because even basic jobs in the future will require that kind of knowledge. MOSELEY BRAUN points to a

General Accounting Office study which says three quarters of American schools have all the computers they need but not the ability to use that equipment well. If you take even the best schools if you don't have the tools to work with then you are still limited even with good teachers. If they don't have the tools to provide computer training and computer literacy to youngsters then you are still limited. Moseley Braun says a new public private effort called the National Educational Technology funding Corp. will pay for the modem's phone lines and other things teachers need to access the internet or commercial online service. The study says most schools lack key technologies in the facilities to support them. Maybe that's something that we should have been more aware of. But on the other hand I guess this is not something that you normally expect to be happening and in an organization like that and particularly and one that seems to be having

a hard time you know basically surfacing it's the truth. So I but I not only that I've talked to were quite surprised. The cutbacks approved by the Amtrak board of directors Wednesday trimmed 12 of 28 weekly round trips on four Chicago lines the Ally and I the city of New Orleans the Hoosier State and the Illinois Zephyr the St. Louis Springfield Chicago Loop service will be eliminated. The five routes currently have an annual ridership of six hundred thirty five thousand. Aaron Clark is a spokes person for Amtrak. She says the railroads bottom line was eliminating lightly traveled routes and checker picken is a long way outside financial consultants analyze the cost to determine what most effective savings. It come from. I took that analysis to the states and started to

dialogue to discuss the possibility of establishing partnerships through which we could continue. There are parts of services so far seven states have agreed to cover the cost of preserving or initiating service on six rounds and we're working with more states. The route adjustments will reduce Amtrak's train miles this year by 24 percent. The cutbacks in Illinois routes are effective June 11th. This is Dave Dickey. The conference designated challenge 2000 will examine alcohol and other drug issues in higher education. Conference coordinator Gina Kiger the acting director for the office of alcohol and drug education at Notre Dame says participants will look for fresh ideas to battle substance abuse problems including binge drinking. All of the participants will be putting through are calling thinktank and the name of that is a physician group there be going through a five step process trying to take a look at

the philosophy behind what we're trying to do in trying to make that. Change here at the university level to try to get students to become more conscious of themselves and each other and take care of ourselves better so that we don't continue to insist on our credit track. Earlier this week a new Harvard School of Public Health study examined 13 heavy drinking colleges and found that 54 percent of new students binge during their first week on campus and 68 percent by the end of their first semester Kiger says a report will be released this summer detailing challenge 2000 findings. This is Dave Dickey. More and more students are reporting that tripling over the last 10 years more students are reporting that yes they recognize that drinking and driving is not cool and they avoid that. They still do it. But there's been some decrease there. We talk about the role of alcohol with

sexual assaults and another stop that's being recognized. So if someone is making some progress but there's still that perception that getting drunk and getting wasted is OK. It says that they slam the door on violent criminals in the state of Illinois. I think everybody should be aware that there still is a gaping crack in that door. The White House has organized 59 such conferences around the country to elect delegates to the National Conference in Washington in June. The conference will make policy recommendations to the president and Congress that will be designed to help businesses with fewer than 500 employees. Mark Schultz the conference's executive director says access to capital is the primary concern of most small business owners. In some cases what they'd like to see is the Small Business Administration making more direct loans

or provide more guaranteed loans or liberalized. The collateral standards which is in the process of being done. They'd like to see certain banking reforms that are also occurring right now. Schulte says small business owners also want access to other sources of capital such as pension funds. He says there are other concerns include over regulation tax policy that discourages them from expanding and lack of training in health care coverage for their employees. Twenty two delegates from Illinois will be elected today. Another 22 were elected at the state's first conference in Springfield in August and 23 will be appointed by Governor Edgar in the state's congressional delegation. Today's conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago. I'm Brant Wolf. The conference is one of 59 in the White House is organizing around the country to elect delegates to June's National Conference in Washington. Delegates will advise the president and Congress on what policies will help businesses with fewer than 500 employees. Mark Schultz the conference's executive director says small business

owners know their suggestions need to be acceptable to both Republicans and Democrats. I think everyone gets it that it's important that the recommendations be either nonpartisan or bipartisan. And I think most of the small business people participating are very encouraged by what they see going on in Washington. I think that both the president and Congress will be very receptive to what they have to say. Schulte says access to capital or loans is a primary concern of small business owners. Other Concerns include overregulation tax policy that discourages them from expanding and lack of training and health care coverage for their employees. Today's conference will elect 22 delegates to join 22 delegates selected at the state's first conference in Springfield in August. Another 23 delegates will be appointed by Governor Edgar and the state's congressional delegation. Today's conference will be at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago. I'm Brant Wolf. President Clinton says he will veto contract bills on crime regulatory reform welfare reform and peacekeeping if changes aren't made. House Speaker Newt Gingrich said over the weekend

that Republicans may be ready to fight presidential vetoes. But 15 district Republican Ewing sounds more conciliatory. Well I think you know we're going to be surprised that 60 I think 60 percent of the contract will get signed by the president maybe more I think. The Senate passed 75 to 80 percent of the contract and send it back to the house and someone will have to go through a conference committee. Ewing says he sees compromises on crime welfare reform regulatory reform and the tax bill he adds though the House will have difficulty overriding vetoes on welfare and other issues. Speaker Gingrich says he's willing to work with President Clinton to get contract elements signed but he cautions that the president should not be seen supporting an obsolete out of touch old fashioned bureaucratic centralized government over. The hiring company or the company that recently got the contract Callie's could would if they were employees be responsible for not only their or their unemployment benefits but also their

workman's compensation taxes and in most cases we discovered that the cow driving the truck was skin eligible to even receive these benefits even though the taxes were being paid on his behalf. The department was saying well they're employed you know these taxes on their pay and on the other hand when we question the department said well if I terminate this contract with that trucker could he collect unemployment they said well no he couldn't because he had his own truck and he ran his own business. We can't have it both ways. 15th District Republican Tom Ewing says the public wants social reform. He says affirmative action for example won't end but it will be changed by Congress. He says Affirmative action has had a positive impact on the ability of minorities to get jobs that were once out of reach. But he thinks it's gone too far. He says the challenge facing Congress is to retain the

policies benefit while ridding the country of so-called reverse discrimination. I have known a number of situations in my career just living life here in central Illinois where it didn't do any good for a white male to apply. There were times if you want on the Illinois State Police if you were a white male you were going to make the class because they wanted minorities New wanted women. And that's it's just been that's a fact of life that most people that any experience would say is true. Pro-life congressmen want to take advantage of the Republican majority and introduce anti-abortion legislation. Others would like to allow prayer in public schools. Outlaw flag burning and loosen gun laws. I'm Robert. Effective July 1st Didrikson says the state will become more aggressive in collecting debts greater than six months old. Illinois passed new receivables stands at 2.9 billion dollars. That's two hundred million dollars more than a year ago Didrikson says the current state collection system is in her words an embarrassment.

So I don't think it ought to sit out there for a year for two years and in some cases for 20 years plus. I think we ought to make a decision I think without a last call go out there there are collection agencies that would like to have that last call opportunity to bring those dollars in take 1 percent or whatever 2 percent whatever they can get Didrikson says the state will begin reporting overdue debt to credit bureaus in July and she adds that Illinois may be able to collect between 10 and 14 percent of the money it is owed leaving roughly two point five billion dollars on recoverable. This is Dave Dickey. This of an Army Depot activity in northwestern Illinois is due to be closed on the Charles Melvin price support center near East St. Louis is due to be drastically cut back in the latest round of base closings today in Rosemont the federal commission that oversees the closings and makes a final recommendation to the president. We'll hear from supporters of the Illinois bases Lieutenant Governor Bob Kustra and U.S. Senator Carol Moseley Braun are scheduled to address the commission. Moseley Braun says the Pentagon

has overestimated the savings of closing the bases. She says closing the savannah Army Depot doesn't make sense. The department did not take into account the fact that most of the other depots in the country are already full and that we're having to pay money to store ammunition outside and that we're spending money to demilitarize on service unserviceable ammunition. MOSELEY BRAUN adds that alternatives to the price support center will probably cost the military more money than it will save. She's hopeful the commission's chairman former Illinois senator Alan Dixon will see the value of the bases to Illinois and the nation. The commission's final recommendation to the president is due July 1st. I'm Brant Wolf. Rockford businesses with fewer than 200 employees can contact the only environmental protection agency anonymously to find out if they're violating state environmental laws if they are the EPA will work with the company to develop a cleanup plan and waive any outstanding fines

associated with the violation. Illinois Lieutenant Governor Bob Kustra says the amnesty program will help the state clean up sites it might otherwise miss. What we're doing is getting a lot of small points along the pollution of one kind or another that may never be remedied because small businesses are afraid to come forward. This amnesty program makes it easier for them to do so. Castro says if the program is successful in Rockford it could be expanded state wide. The program will be available to small businesses in Winnebago and Boon counties through June. I'm Brant Wolf. The latest round of base closings the Department of Defense recommended closing the savannah Army Depot activity in northwestern Illinois and drastically scaling back the Charles Melvin price support center near East St. Louis. Today the federal commission that reviews base closings and makes a final recommendation to the president will hold hearings in Rosemont. US Senator Carol Moseley Braun and Illinois Lieutenant Governor Bob Kustra are scheduled to address the commission Kustra says he'll tell the

Commission enough bases have already been closed in the state. We've paid the price of shoot. We've paid the price of the Glenview Naval Air Station we've paid the price. That's for sure. Now as we take a look at two new installations both the savannah Army depot and the price Army Support Center we're going to make the point that we think you want to is lean and mean Kustra says the Defense Department has overestimated the savings of closing the only facilities he says they're needed because of their central locations and proximity to other military bases. Custer is hopeful former Illinois senator Alan Dixon chair of the commission will be receptive to bay supporters arguments. The commission's recommendation is due to the president July 1st. I'm Brant Wolf. Didrikson says the hardware of the current accounting management system is 21 years old making it almost impossible to manage Illinois spawns on a day to day basis Didrikson says. A new accounting network will cost about 20 million dollars over the next five years. But she says the investment is

crucial if Illinois lawmakers are to get accurate up to date fiscal information. I can't do that today. I can't give the people in the state of Illinois a cost accounting unit accounting of what it cost to provide services to a child the DCF US Department of Children and Family Services. I can't tell the people the state of Illinois what a unit cost of providing a correction's bed a unit cost at all costs considered in the state of Illinois so we don't know whether to privatized or whether to keep it in State is the best route to go doing. However Didrikson isn't sure how much a new computer system will save the state to process financial transactions. But she notes that former comptroller Roland Burris estimated Illinois could save as much as 30 Million Dollars A Year with a new system. This is Dave Dickey. Rantoul Illinois has made national headlines by recovering economically from the loss of shooter Air Force Base and they've received more good news. The Federal Aviation Administration

the University of Illinois and Northwestern University will put a runway pavement Research Center there. One thousand district Congressman Tom Ewing says if Granite City and Savannah lose their bases they should take a lesson from Rantoul. Our biggest problem in making the transition from closing the base at Rantoul to rebuilding that community is getting the bureaucracy off the square off square one. They knew how to close a base but that was about the end of where they came in as far as making it easy for the community to take a great facility and recycle it into the private sector. Savannah and Granite City could pay for infrastructure improvements on their former bases if a bill recently passed in the Illinois Senate makes it to the governor's desk. It would allow towns to pay for the construction with increased tax revenue from base development. The bill is pending in the house. If we could solve all the military criteria. If you could help an economic development

through a community would you say should that be a wonderful thing. You know if it offsets and if we meet those criteria. The only affirmative action initiative Committee says it will gather one point two million signatures twice the number needed to put the constitutional amendment on the ballot in November of 1906. William Kelly the committee's chairman says Illinois voters should decide if affirmative action should continue in the state. So in the general reaction when people come to vote for prizes they will also be able to vote on whether or not to put an end to affirmative action programs here instead of which of fact public high public contracting and public education. Kelly says the committee is planning to raise one million dollars to campaign for the initiative. He says affirmative action amounts to discrimination by setting up quotas for women and minorities. Republican presidential candidates Phil Graham Pat Buchanan and Alan Keyes have all lent their support to the Illinois initiative.

I'm Brant Wolf. The only affirmative action initiative committee is collecting signatures on a ballot measure that would prohibit the use of affirmative action policies by the state. The committee says affirmative action programs designed to help women and minorities have hurt white men by establishing quotas in hiring. William Kelly the committee's chairman says the measure would provide equal opportunities for all racial groups for action programs. The fact currently affects their own public education public hiring public contracting would no longer be constitutional. Kelly says the committee plans to collect a one point two million signatures on initiative petitions twice the number needed to get the measure on the ballot in November of 1906. Republican presidential candidates Phil Graham Pat Buchanan and Alan Keyes have all lent their support to the Illinois initiative. Opponents of affirmative action are also collecting signatures for a similar initiative in California. I'm Brant Wolf.

The prosecution based most of its case on a handwritten note they say was written by Davis and a confession written by police but signed by Davis defense lawyer David Schwartz says Davis couldn't have written the note or understood the confession. He says Davis is in his words borderline mentally retarded and was illiterate. What's more Schwartz says other people have been convicted for several of the crimes to which Davis supposedly confessed. For example there was an attempted murder of a man named Mark Preston. Now Mr. Rassmann. Survived two other people were convicted of that crime and Mr. Rassmann had been showing a photograph of Gervase Davis told the police that Gervase Davis was not involved he was not among the people who were robbing him and trying to kill him. Short says Davis has since learned how to read. Prosecutors say Davis is a career criminal who knew exactly what he was doing when he signed the confessions. Davis had been convicted and served time for another murder and numerous petty crimes.

I'm Rob. Because after all they are taxing themselves and we made that clear before I felt that they needed. These are fees that the state and increases that the student representative voted. To approve. Because that's a real possibility. We are proceeding as though it was going to be July 1st so that for those business and legal functions we will be ready on July 1st. Before wrapping up its monthly meeting in Chicago yesterday the board voted to increase fees and housing charges on both the Urbana and Chicago campuses fees cover facilities and services while tuition pays for academic programs unified trustees voted to increase undergraduate fees on the Urbana campus $30 to nine hundred eighty six dollars combined with tuition increases the trustees approved in November. Overall charges for undergraduates in Urbana will rise five point four percent. Trustees were also briefed on plans to merge Sangamon State

University with the UA by academic affairs vice president Sylvia Manning is overseeing the merger and she says the perception that the U of I is just going to swallow up Sangamon state is inaccurate. I don't think that's really true and I don't think any I don't think there's any desire to swallow up this desire to keep saying I'm in or the University of Illinois Springfield a very distinct and special entity. I don't it won't it won't happen. It's probably a fairly natural fear. Manning says there are thousands of administrative details to be dealt with before the merger is complete and she says the legislature may move up the date of the merger from January 1st to July 1st. I'm Brant Wolf. What we've extended is a time when we have operators on those lines that people can default to. So if they need to talk to an operator to get their question answered. So when you take all those out of the system that only it leaves our

operators who are trained and all of us 64 taxes we administer that are able to answer questions. Gervase Davis was convicted of killing Charles Beeville in a 978 St. Clair County robbery attempt. He's scheduled to die May 17th. Unlike recent executions however doubts remain about Davis's guilt. Police say Davis confessed to the killing and 10 other crimes after being arrested on an unrelated charge. They say Davis wrote a two page confession then read and signed a more formal confession written by police Davis's lawyer David Schwartz says the police story cannot be true. Gervase Davis was illiterate. He did not know how to read. He was mentally retarded had an organic brain disorder. This note was written by somebody else. Furthermore whatever Gervase may have signed in terms of a confession. It couldn't possibly have read first because he didn't know how to read police and prosecutors dispute this point.

They say Davis knew exactly what he was doing when he confessed to the murder. Davis had been convicted of another murder and several petty crimes. He previously spent time in prison for these offenses. I'm Robert Schober. It wasn't always pretty but at times were visions of hope. On the second play from scrimmage the not so sure handed running back Robert Holcomb fumbled the ball but with the absence of tied out third hokum had plenty of time to redeem himself and he did. The software finished the game with one hundred sixty four yards on 20 carries. New office coordinator Paul Hsu Dell expects hokum to play an important role next season. Robert is a very fine football player and he can do it all by himself. That's why it's called a football team. But I think he's he's in a very very good football player that will give us a nice edge in the fall. Quarterback Johnny Johnson looked comfortable with shoot Al's new off and Johnson connected on 14 of 18 passes for one hundred eighty nine yards which included a

forty nine yard touchdown strike to Shane Fisher. However backup QB Scott Weaver had his troubles hitting on only five of 16 passes for 56 yards. But according to Johnson as long as the office continues to progress it will be ready come next season so that a lot of things that we want to cover. And a lot office to learn about thinking. Each day this spring that we improved and I lost the key. Overall the off and didn't look so bad even showing signs of promise at times. But one must keep in mind that when the Ally and I take the field against Michigan next season Illinois second string won't be on the other side of the ball. I'm John maul. The first team off and was solid behind the play of running back Robert Holcomb and quarterback Johnny Johnson. After first quarter fumble hokum ran for one hundred sixty four yards and 20 carries and Johnson completed 14 passes for one hundred eighty nine yards off and have coordinator Paul Hsu Dell says that the new system

will be a balanced attack. We want to be able to run the football better but I think as you saw the day that we're not afraid to pass the ball and and do that and. And I think one as one part of the game is always tied to to help the other. There was sometimes the run sets up the pass and sometimes the pass sets up the run and we want to try and be a 50 50 team on defense. The spring's most improved player lineman Brown continuously gotten backup quarterback Scott Weaver's face recording two sacks sack machine Simeon Rice pulled down the QB once behind the line and Dennis Stalins the man replacing all everything linebacker Dana Howard accounted for six tackles according to veteran linebacker Kevin Hardy. The future of the defense depends on what kind of effort is put forth. I think this year is going to be a year of it depends where we have as a summer how guys work out and how they come in they can't run me because the face I mean it could be good as it was last year.

Or can be you know bad as the old cliche goes with this team. Only time will tell. But come September 2nd if the aligner aren't ready it will be Michigan with the answer. I'm John Wall. The Arsenal is a Superfund site so the clean up no matter what it is is governed by the federal government. There are very strict relations involved here. You just can't go in and do what you want to do the United States Army is legally responsible for the cost of the cleanup and in terms of the contamination they must make sure that it is cleaned up entirely. The 67 year old Rooney says he has new ideas regarding crime prevention spokesman Jim Cooper says Rooney believes the crime problem will lessen if young people are given the chance at economic success if they find themselves in an educational and home environment that

provides no hope they have no prospects for a decent job they're not going to be able to get out get a high school diploma a little college education and so turning to drugs and making a six figure income makes economic sense for them. We need to take the economic rewards out of crime. He says economic development and education in lower grades would be priorities if he were elected. He says he wants to give kids in grade school a good basic education. He said he supports school choice and is opposed to Indiana's new statewide test I pass. He promises not to raise taxes if he is elected. I'm Robert Schober. 67 year old Pat Rooney says he'd like to make fundamental changes in the way Indiana government does business. He thinks state government should be smaller more responsive and less costly. Spokesman Jim Cooper says the Republican thinks the top issues in Indiana are job creation crime reduction welfare reform and quality education education the problem certainly isn't that we're not spending enough money on schools.

The problem is that we are getting our dollars worth from the public education system. There's not any accountability to the taxpayers or to anybody else in regard to local schools. So it's not a safe assumption to make that you need more money and more people. He says quality education like welfare reform and job creation can be accomplished while making the government smaller but Runi thinks crime reduction might be only accomplished by putting more police on the streets he adds though that the state must take the economic benefit out of crime. He's suggesting instituting huge fines on people convicted of drug crimes. Anti-gambling forces say their two day conference in Springfield was scheduled to counteract a gambling industry seminar also being held in the capital. Gambling opponent anybody else says no one at the pro gambling seminar will speak about what she calls the true impact of gambling on the community. All right as far as crime. You had at home and you have

that you have it with five as I said are not a trap a nationally recognized gambling expert speaking to the gambling opponents said the number of problem gamblers will increase as gambling expands. Robert Goodman says that will end up costing taxpayers and businesses. Wednesday's anti-gambling session features a former Atlantic City Council member who says that city was damaged by casinos the gambling industry opens a two day gathering at Springfield Convention Center today. Several local groups including the Sierra Club the League of Women Voters and the champagne County health care consumers say bills recently approved by the U.S. House of Representatives will gut environmental protections and acted during the past 25 years. The group is asking U.S. senators to vote against measures such as the unfunded mandates bill and a bill to compensate landowners facing restrictions on the use of their land because of environmental rules. Dan Ferber of the Sierra Club says the House also passed a renewal of the Clean Water Act that would eliminate wetlands protection and relax

water standards. And I think what's really what's important also is what's not there what's not there is the right of the citizen to know what pollution is just charged into its community's waters. The right of the citizen just to polluters is not written into the bill. And there is no provision at all to phase out toxic chemicals like dioxin. The group also released the League of Conservation Voters a report card for House members. It reads members on their environmental voting records. Illinois Republican Tom Ewing and Indiana Republicans John Myers and Steve Moore all received scores of zero from the group. Illinois Democrat Glen pushcart received twenty seven points out of 100. I'm Brant Wolf. A coalition including the Sierra Club the League of Women Voters in the champagne County health care consumers says several bills approved by the House will make it easier for businesses to pollute. The group says measures such as the unfunded mandates bill and a bill to compensate landowners who lose property rights because of environmental rules would weaken the nation's environmental standards. Dan

Ferber of the Sierra Club says the House version of the Clean Water Act renewal would allow more water borne pollution. Cities under 100000 population would be permanently exempted from all requirements on their on their run off water level and protection would be virtually eliminated. But Republican members of Congress say the bills would cut unnecessary regulations without harming the environment. Terry Green a spokesman for Republican Illinois congressman Tom Ewing says previous environmental laws didn't take the economic effects on business into account. Why shouldn't the government undergo a risk assessment cost benefit now. People set up property and businesses when enforcing and formulate regulations. The bills are now before the U.S. Senate. Environmental groups are hoping President Clinton will veto the measures if they are approved by the Senate. I'm Brant Wolf. Union members at Illinois Department of Public Aid offices say proposed staff cuts to the

state budget will set back efforts at welfare reform. The 1996 budget targets 252 full time public employee state wide for layoffs in Champaign a dozen public aid workers carried red signs reading no layoffs. Your new number Steve Rose says he and his coworkers are already overworked. The department has already been doing more with less for quite some time. Here locally we've had attrition that hasn't been replaced and we've lost individuals in the case loads are clearly I mean a trouble at this particular point. Rose says Illinois new Welfare to Work program will increase the workload at the same time the state is cutting staff. Be fair that if we lose additional personnel not only will public aid recipients suffer but also initiatives that are going to be started. I should say initiated through the state welfare to work initiatives welfare to education and train initiatives are going to be severely affected if we don't have adequate personnel to implement these changes.

The Senate Appropriations Committee is expected to call for a vote on the public aid budget on April 25th. I'm Vincent Duffy. Former Illinois Lottery Director Michael Jones says his convention called spotlight on Illinois is examining the same questions the anti-gambling group wants to answer. Illinois church action on alcohol problem says studies show gambling hurts communities economically and socially and they criticize spotlight in Illinois this week as a pro gambling convention. Jones bristles at this characterization. He says spotlight in Illinois is looking at the public policy questions surrounding expanded gambling in the state. What we really need to look at is what the benefit to people of the state of Illinois is for adding to gambling in the state of Illinois and indeed is there a social impact that outweighs the revenue impact. Is there an economic development impact that outweighs the potential social dislocation. Jones says he believes it is better to have organized legal gambling than an illegal gambling trade that funds organized crime and such activities as prostitution. I'm

Robert. The only Committee to Save Legal Services is warning of congressional efforts to cut funding for the Legal Services Corporation. That's a nonprofit group that helps provide civil legal help to poor people. A rescission bill now on President Clinton's desk would cut already appropriated federal funding for the Elysee from 450 million to four hundred million dollars. Illinois committee chair Rosalyn Leeb says she doesn't buy criticism that the federal government shouldn't be in the business of funding civil legal services. What about the basic reason to continue the funding. Legal is the basic American justice system is acceptable to everyone. No one can truly respect the LSC funnels money into local legal offices that provide civil legal help to the poor. Leeb says there are 32 such offices in Illinois and 900 across the nation. One bill in Congress would eliminate funding for the LSC entirely.

Says if the LSC were shut down private legal firms and legal service agencies wouldn't be able to make up the difference. But in federal court to pay to support the victim assistance grant hill noise work a program got a $600000 but the older Criminal Justice authority administers the program in there to decide how to spend the money. Authority spokeswoman shift the Coalition Against Sexual Assault and the violence will get the lion's share of the money. 1.6 guidelines say weapon money can be spent. But the fact that the money should focus on sexual domestic under-served victims of crime. The remaining programs that help under-served casualties of crime victims of homicide and victims of drunk drivers. Federal appropriation is

inconsistent year to year because for an ability to pay a federal criminals here will make up for funding cuts last year. But if some of the extra money to support advocacy centers for victims of sexual assault. I'm Rob. The big. And lords and public housing authorities to force criminals off past 116 to nothing in the House on Tuesday just in senior staff attorney Michelle Gilbert says she. Small percentage of landlords might abuse the law but represent went on top of that the other thing is still present requires an activity. The status of the friends home after the way in which it is and not to prove you're guilty of the crime of criminal trespass.

The Senate will hear more closely to an Illinois Supreme Court which requires criminal activity and written notice stating their intention to evict the criminal's representative who abuse the law wouldn't be able to evict innocent people wouldn't be upheld in court. Winkles bill would allow landlords or housing authority in criminals to leave or be arrested for trial. Critics say this invites landlords to legally remove visit even if they haven't committed a crime. For example housing investigate tenant complaints but wiggle says the law won't be able to make their claim stick in court. But landlord approach had it still the ability to landlords and tenants work together especially small tight residential complexes or dope dealers. That's what we're really looking at things from an Illinois Supreme Court ruling which allows visitors

to Beach Pass after they've committed a crime and the landlord thing Michael says his bill which passed the House unanimous simply codified as the court decision. Michael says Carpio and perhaps one other senator will sponsor the Met. I'm Robert. The problem goes back to the Bush administration's negotiations and initially they were interested in a free trade agreement pure and simple and they did it for a number of reasons. They wanted free trade. Victory in the gat wasn't coming along fast enough and they wanted to prop up what they thought was a friendly government. We can't mandate it is law. The other thing it seems to work in America is economic incentives.

I doubt it's really clever to have economic incentives brought in this not so much to pay for the care that they frequently now leave for the public aid department to pay for. But more to encourage them to buy Helen. Indicated that one individual was present for perhaps as many as one hundred thirty one hundred forty seven deaths. Although the purpose of our investigation was not to focus on the actions of an individual. Instead to focus on the actions of the institution. Well the stakes could be covered from it by probably increasing taxes on everyone by 5 percent or even even more to be able to make up the the loss of medic Kade revenue. I mean I think the real answer is not to single out Medicare and Medicaid for us for cuts the real answer is to really address the continued and growing health care crisis that not only Illinois faces but this

nation faces. So bad we can't be going to address that serious problem of the creasing the number of children that have to be removed from their families and go. There are a riot of services out there. Most of them are geared to basically in child welfare after the child has been removed from the family and that be done I believe are going to be used to support families before a bad half bad occurs. A report released yesterday by Families USA indicates that Illinois will lose two and a half billion dollars over five years if Congress trims Medicaid by 75 billion dollars. That would rank Illinois eighth among states in the amount it would lose. Jim Duffy is the executive director for the campaign for better health care. He says federal and state lawmakers are more concerned with their checkbooks than tackling health care deficiencies.

The crisis hasn't disappeared only the political will from our leaders and in Washington and in Springfield has had disappeared and the crisis is only going to get worse there's going to be more and more people who are going to be without health care and like I said those medical facilities who are still going to try to take more poor folks who don't have health care they're not going to eat the costs those costs are going to be paid. Pass right back on to everyone else who has health insurance through higher premiums higher deductibles higher higher co-payments the Families USA study concludes that more than 47000 Illinois Senior citizens will lose long term health care benefits in Illinois. One hundred twenty two thousand elderly people and two hundred sixty six thousand persons with disabilities receive Medicaid benefits in 1993. This is Dave Dickey. House Bill 554 sponsored by what con a Republican hell Selvey would lift the moratorium on private prisons in Illinois state correction workers say private

prisons would jeopardize public safety noting records of lax security in Texas Tennessee and Florida State draws many as communications director for American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees Council 31 which represents about 11000 state prison workers. Hughes says the private prison debate is ideological and nothing else. We don't believe that there's any operational reason to privatized the prisons we don't think there's any budgetary reason to privatized prison. And if you look at the people who are sponsoring the bills Mr Selvey and Mr. Pett from suburban Chicago. These are people that do not have prisons in their districts. These are people who are driven by ideology they believe that this many government services as possible should be privatized we guard the severe consequences corrections officials add that private prisons would not save Illinois much money citing in 1995 state of Tennessee audit showing that

private prisons saved the Volunteer State just 33 cents a day per inmate. This is Dave Dickey. Didrikson says that while Illinois raised fourteen point one billion dollars in state taxes last year it granted a one hundred fifty seven different incentives worth three point three billion dollars. That's 24 percent of state revenues Didrikson says children took a huge fiscal hit in 1904 noting that incentives cost. Illinois common school fund. Five hundred and nineteen million dollars. And what does that really mean. That means that when we take out five hundred nineteen million dollars from the common school fund for tax relief or tax incentives it means that at the local level the property taxes pick up the burden. So I guess in essence school is where the loser here in addition to that there were another 67 million dollars in Education Assistance Fund which represented 12 percent of the revenues for that fund.

The largest tax incentive was a seven hundred fifty three million dollar sales tax break for food drugs and medical appliances. But did Rixon says there were numerous smaller tax incentives for example newspapers received a 30 million dollar tax break for purchasing newsprint in ink while churches were granted a hundred three thousand dollars break for Sacramento wine. This is Dave Dickey. The measure sponsored by Orland Park Republican William R. would let large commercial customers choose from competing energy utilities in 2001 by 2000 and six the Illinois Commerce Commission would let residential customers pick their energy supplier. Greg Nesbitt is a spokesperson for Coalition for consumer choice which helped develop the measure. He says the bill would replace legislation from the 1920s in which rates are determined by investment in equipment and the ultimate water is the consumer

because they get to choose. And I get to choose based on service or and or price whatever their needs are and what it does for you till it is it is it makes us be very efficient and makes us drive our prices down to the lowest possible point. And it makes us compete but adds that if Illinois doesn't allow for competition the state could eventually lose jobs to other Midwestern states where electric rates are cheaper. This is Dave Dickey. My good again and this. Leads me to the house when I step back you mean. Why do these executive directors with those words resigned in front of a tearful boardin staff. Embattled Service Director Dennis spice offered to resign after a two hour closed session in Champaign spice announced he wanted to be put on paid administrative leave for 60 days while negotiating terms on his resignation.

Spice has been criticized for receiving country club memberships and other bonuses while presiding over the pension system after accepting his resignation the board voted to end all existing bonuses and severance agreements and car allowances for retirement system executives board president Bill Norwood said accepting the resignation was difficult. We're acting as a board as responsibly as we can for the system. Our primary concern is for the hundred twenty one thousand people who are parts of the system the retirement system board schedule a meeting May 4th to discuss an interim director and plan a search for SPICE a successor. In the meantime associate executive director James Beattie will be in charge. I'm Vincent Duffy. After a two hour closed session Service Executive Director Dennis spice announced to a tearful board in staff that he plans to resign Spice will be placed on administrative leave for 60 days to negotiate terms of his departure. He's been

criticized for receiving country club memberships and other bonuses while presiding over the pension system. But members of his stats say he has done an excellent job and that the 11 member pension board approved the perks of board president Bill Norwood said some mistakes were made but reminds people that overall service is one of the best pension systems in the country. The board is not perfect. The board strives to do as good a job as they can and they work very diligently for a big fee to do this. And the one thing you will find out. Anyone who makes many many decisions get a lot of them right and occasionally get some that might be question. And I would say looking again at the system how it operates look in again and not a long term investment returns. I would say the system works well. After accepting Spice's resignation the board voted to end all existing bonus and severance

agreements and car allowances for retirement system executives. The retirement system board scheduled a meeting May 4th to discuss an interim director and plan a search for SPICE a successor. I'm Vincent Duffy. A small crowd of union members gathered on the University of Illinois quad over the noon hour to honor their fellow workers who have been hurt or killed on the job for government employees died in work related accidents in Champaign County last year. Rally participants also urged union members to call their legislators and ask them to vote against legislation changing many parts of the worker's compensation system. Labor historian and union of professional employees president Jim Barrett says the legislation is clearly designed to roll back worker protections. The administration. Workman's compensation in Illinois has always been fairly good and it's clear from the literature that was distributed today and what we've heard so far about the plans in Springfield about the effect of the

reforms in the act would be certainly to reduce the level of protection for all of my workers. There were over two dozen suggested proposals in cutting back workers compensation including setting time limits on benefits and reducing compensation paid to families of workers killed on the job. I'm Vincent Duffy. It's going to be taking away our right to choose our doctor. It's going to take a leave our workers without income by cutting off benefits before they recovered from their injuries and point to compensation to children spouses of. Workers that have been killed on the job. And it's going to it's specially important to the clerical Union which I represent. Eliminate benefits by making it nearly impossible to get compensation for injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome and by limiting payments for hearing loss and chronic pain. Basically we asked why there had been no response to a violation. That's what we were concerned about

and we wanted to get a response. They answered that they really didn't know why they had responded. So now supposedly they are going to look over the document I gave them a second copy of it during the meeting and get back to us with a response.