Herald and Review from Decatur, Illinois • Page 9

1 I 1 ON POLITIC ,9 Stepping up A local group is collecting shoes for Iraqi children to help U.S. soldiers build trustMonday Local Dave BarryB4 Questions or comments regarding this section? Contact Night Editor John Reidy at 421-6973 SasEietball fanatics flod to Turkey Tournament i back. "You never know when you're going to see the next NBA player out there," he said. Recent examples include last year's Most Valuable Player Shaun Livingston of Peoria Central, now playing for the Los Angeles Clippers, and 2001 MVP Andrew Iguodala of Springfield Lanphier, now with the Philadelphia 76ers. Perkins, who sat on the side of his alma mater, said a love of sports has led him not only to become a tournament regular but also to serve on the committee organizing the event for the past three years.

He said this year he enjoyed watching Eisenhower's opening game Tuesday night with two high school classmates who played in the first Turkey Tournament and were home for the holiday Ron Fluker of Bloomington and Art Hicks of California. "It brought back lots of memories from T0URKEYB2 By THERESA CHURCHIU. Senior Writer DECATUR Tyrone Carson and Jeffrey Perkins sat on opposite sides of the gymnasium during a close boys basketball game Saturday afternoon between MacArthur and Eisenhower high schools, yet the two Decatur men have a lot in common. Besides the fact both were attending the Decatur Team Soy Capital Turkey Tournament in Millikin University's Griswold Center, both went to Decatur's first Turkey Tournament in 1970 as Eisenhower students Carson a freshman and Perkins a senior. For them and for many others, the Turkey Tournament is as much a part of Thanksgiving as bowl games are part of New Year's Day.

Carson sat on MacArthur 's. side in support of his nephews on the team, Corinthian and C.J. Carson, but said the level of competition at the tournament also keeps him coming Herald ReviewCarlos T. Miranda Tyrone Carson cheers for the MacArthur basketball team at halftime Saturday during its game agains' Eisenhower at the Decatur Team Soy Capital Turkey Tournament at Millikin University. News from Central Illinois Justice for sale? This year's Illinois Supreme Court contest that set a national record for campaign spending at more than $7.6 million is symbolic of a change in judicial contests that was first clearly discernable in 2000, according to a recent study.

The Fifth District contest in Southern Illinois between Republican Lloyd Karmeier, the eventual victor, and Democrat Gordon Maag saw 24 different television advertisements air a total of 7,516 times at a cost of more than $5.4 million. Karmeier spent more than 50 percent of that amount. A study done for the Justice at Stake Campaign by the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law and the National Institute on Money in State Politics found television advertising in judicial contests this year reached an all-time high of slightly more than $21 million nationally. The Justice at Stake Campaign is a national, nonpartisan partnership working to keep courts fair and impartial. The study for the first time gathered and analyzed data on campaign contributions, spending and advertising that showed 2000 was a turning point for high stakes campaigning in supreme court elections.

This year, winning candidates almost universally enjoyed more television advertising in their favor than did their opponents, according to the study. Candidates bought more than $11 million in airtime, more than half of this year's total and nearly 20 percent more than the total $10.6 million spent in 2000. "High spending by candidates means that special interest groups are giving substantial amounts directly to judicial candidates, furthering the impression that justice is for sale," said Deborah Goldberg, director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center and one of the study's authors. Attack ads increased this year more than 200 percent from 2002 and nearly doubled from 2000, the study found. Interest groups continue to sponsor more negative ads, with 60 percent of all attack ads paid for by groups and 53 percent of interest group ads having a negative tone.

About 56 percent of political party ads also were negative. "Negative ads are known to depress voter turnout, which allows special interest groups to assert even more influence over judicial elections," Goldberg said. The study results can be seen HERITAGE AND HOLLY Herald Review photosCarlos T. Miranda Priscilla Burnett, left, and Sheri Randall take a tour of the Kunzeman family home, built in 1904 by the T.T. Roberts family, during the annual Heritage and Holly Tour sponsored by the Near Westside Restoration and Preservation Society.

es of CI tmas ins past Inspectors see violations at county's composters By STEPHANIE POTTER Staff Writer DECATUR County inspectors say they found problems at both of Macon County's composting sites during recent visits, and their operators say they are working to fix the alleged violations. Decatur Compost Inc. opened in April at 3740 N. Bearsdale Road, about a half-mile from the existing Macon County Composting Facility. Decatur Compost operator Don Roderick's application for a permit sparked controversy last year when some neighbors questioned the need for two composting facilities so close together.

Roderick said he hasn't gotten any complaints from neighbors since the new site opened on 46 acres in what used to be a cornfield. Ann Luka and her husband, Larry, live about two miles away from the compost facilities. She said she was concerned about odor and declining property values with two sites but hasn't noticed any problems. "People have moved on from it," Luka said of discussion about the two sites. Inspections done Oct.

19 by the Macon County Solid Waste Department at both sites turned up alleged violations of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act. At Roderick's site, the problems included: Litter on the site, including in the windrows, or long rows where the organic material is stacked while it breaks down into a soil-like substance Lack of utilities and water supply on site. Lack of monitoring data about the moisture and temperature of the compost. Failure to check loads properly and reject noncom-postable waste. Roderick said he is giving up controlling interest in the compost facility, although he wouldn't say to whom.

He plans to continue owning the land on which it is sited and will draft a response to the county about the alleged violations. VIOLATIONS32 online at www.brennancenter.org Ron lini ngram Preservation society sponsors tours of Decatur's historic houses i 4 Recalls online The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has a Web site where consumers can find the latest news about product recalls: www.Recalls.gov. A new feature on the site called "Recent Recalls" allows the viewing of recall announcements the moment they are made public by such agencies as the product safety commission, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture and others.

Commission Chairman Hal Strat-ton suggests consumers check out the Web site during the holiday season before buying or giving gifts, particularly those intended for children, Sue Kunzeman shows Brian Baldwin a photo from 1905 of her house. vertical windows beneath five long horizontal ones. The door to the outside is also glass. The white marble that covers the sun room's floor was brought in by the house's second owner, L.W. Cook, who owned the St.

Nicholas hotel at Lincoln Square. Emily Kunzeman, a Wheaton College sophomore who researched the history of her home, said one of its unique features during its bleak period was a funnel and pipe that came right through the first floor ceiling, connecting the toilet on the second floor with the bowl of the one downstairs. Perhaps the shortcut plumbing was installed during those fraternity days. Members of the Kunzeman family, who moved to the large home from a smaller home with five acres of land on the western edge of the city, said they appreciate all the indoor spaca T0URSB2 By KUEY FREEMAN Staff Writer DECATUR One hundred years after coffin maker T.T. Roberts built a sprawling, elegant brick home on the city's west side, it appears to be in pristine shape.

Sue Kunzeman, who moved into the home five years ago with her husband, Joseph, her father and five children, said the 13-room house does not always look as sparkling clean as it was Saturday. "I really appreciate the way everyone helped out," Sue Kunzeman said. The Kunzeman residence was among seven vintage homes on display during the 14th annual Heritage and Holly Tour, held Friday and Saturday. The event was sponsored by the Near Westside Restoration and Preservation Society. Sue Kunzeman said her house, one of the first to be built in the area, had 11 previous owners.

There was a time when it was being considered for the to make sure the items are safe. Ron Ingram wrecking ball, but a local attorney purchased it in 1970 and restored it. Before that, one of its short-lived incarnations was as a fraternity house. The fraternity brothers attempted to enhance the beauty of the oak floor in the diiiing room by painting it orange. But since the grand house was rescued a third of a century ago, it has had nothing but tender loving care, Joseph Kunzeman said.

The wood floors oak on the first floor, red fir on the second and pine on the third appear to be pristine. Sue Kunzeman attributes the beauty and durability of the floors to the strength of the old growth timber from which the narrow planks were derived. Joseph Kunzeman said he especially appreciates the sun rooms, which flood the house with light through their many windows. The sun room on the first floor has eighteen tall Poll picks Conine New post elevates Durbin to upper levels of Washington influence was just another sign America was losing its way, he lamented in a speech that made headlines in Turn on C-SPAN, you9 11 probably see senator U.S. Sen.

Jon Corzine, who grew up near the tiny Central Illinois hamlet of Willeys, would easily be elected New Jersey governor if the election was held now, a recent Quinnipiac University poll found. The poll showed Corzine beating Republican rivals by 20 percentage points and atjrting Gov. Richard Codey by 40 percentage points in a primary. Speculation about Corzine's future was fueled by the recent resignation of Gov. James McGreevey over a sex scandal.

Corpne's Senate term does not expire urttil January 2007; Codey's term expires a year earlier. Corzine spent $60 million of his personal fortune to win a Senate seat in 2000 largely avoiding private contributions to his campaign. The former Goldman Sachs executive was reported to be worth about $400 million at that tima Ron Ingram Ron Ingram can be reached at ringram or 421-7973. sports pages across the country. Fifteen years later, Durbin is talking about somewhat more important issues: have to be the designated "bad cop" for Senate Democrats, speaking out against Republican policies or even pressuring fellow Democrats.

It's a job he thinks he can do without making himself, or Illinois, a target for angry Republicans. "I think you can do this in a professional way and maintain your integrity and dignity throughout, and I plan on doing it that way," he said. "It's not going to be personal." DURSiH82 Cabinet nominees. And as the new second-in-command of U.S. Senate Democrats, his words travel far beyond the sports pages.

Durbin's position as Democratic "whip" gives him a significant voice in national policy debates, as well as the party's internal debates over responding to Republican control of the White House and Congress. "It's a big deal," said U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood, a Peoria Republican with whom Durbin has a close working relationship. "He'll be in a position to shape policy for the Democrats.

This gives him more of a national platform." The whip is basically a party's floor leader. He figures out how many votes Democrats have on an issue, reacts to any surprises in Senate action and helps decide legislative strategy. He'll spend long hours on the Senate floor and have to understand huge amounts of legislation. "Almost every time you turn on C-SPAN, you'll see me," Durbin said. At times, Durbin may Durbin SPRINGFIELD (AP) There was a time when Dick Durbin's chief claim to fame may have been his love of wooden baseball bats.

Durbin stood up on the U.S. House floor in 1989 and condemned the trend toward aluminum bats and their "dinky ping" sound. Turning away from wood the war in Iraq, overhauling the nation's intelligence agencies and scrutinizing the president's judicial and.