Herald and Review from Decatur, Illinois • Page 3

HeraldReview rBRIEKpf 1 A B3 1 Thursday, July 4, 2002 E1IS FROM CENTRAL ILLINOIS Psm iistot wsrws on suppiirt Illinois community. Booth said taxpayers may have legal ground to challenge the park district's use of taxes for a city project. "I just don't have a definitive answer," he said. "We have to be careful that we don't spend money for something that isn't a park purpose" In other business, commissioners learned Scovill Zoo received a $25,000 donation from the James Millikin Estate trust for a carousel project. It plans to purchase a $160,000 carousel and spend a total of $250,000 on the project.

Amy Burch can be reached at aburch or 421-6986. has more options, such as sales tax revenue and the proposed utility tax. The city plans to work with the park district and other taxing bodies to convince them to support the voluntary TIF district, which would last for no more than 15 years. But the council can vote to impose a 23-year TIF if the voluntary district fails to garner support. There may also be a legal reason for the park district's opposition.

Ed Booth, the park district's lawyer, told commissioners that using tax money for something that's "just a good cause" is restricted. He's investigating whether a voluntary TIF has been imposed in another taxing bodies to support. The city wants taxing bodies to forfeit the incremental growth in taxes generated by the development in order to pay for the infrastructure. "We would like the city to look at other ways to pay for it," said Don Luy, board president, during the regular park district meeting. "They would be using other taxing bodies' money to free up city money for other projects in the city." He said the park district is involved in its own economic development projects, such as Rotary Park and the Decatur Indoor Sports Center.

It can only use taxes and user fees to pay for its projects, Luy said, while the city Officials would like city to look elsewhere for infrastructure financing By AMY BURCH Staff Writer DECATUR The Decatur Park District wants the city to explore alternatives to paying for infrastructure improvements in the near-north-side redevelopment area. Board commissioners indicated Wednesday they may not back the voluntary tax increment financing district that city leaders are asking local FOURTH FUN ff iv 'SggjP Herald ReviewPhil Jacobs FLAG FOR YOU: McKenzie Brooks presents a flag to Mike McNamara at St. Mary's Adult Day Care Center on Wednesday as classmate Haley Jones looks on. The children from the adjacent Decatur Day Care Center presented a Fourth of July program for the seniors. DECATUR Home damaged in morning fire Two people escaped a mobile home fire without injuries Wednesday morning, but their home at 2153 Samuels St.

was severely damaged, said Fire Inspector Mike Wigginton. Investigators don't yet know the cause of the fire but believe it was accidental, Wigginton said. The blaze resulted in an estimated $25,000 in damage, he said, and the owners will be receiving aid from the Red Cross. DECATUR Motel is scene of armed robbery Decatur police are investigating an armed robbery that occurred at 4:50 p.m. Tuesday at the Tri-Manor Motel, 3420 N.

22nd St. The manager of the business said a man who came inside his office asking about room rates placed an object, believed to be a gun, to his back as he was leaving the office, said Decatur police detective Sgt. David Dickerson. The man asked for money, which was handed over to him, and then fled out the back entrance of the building, Dickerson said. The suspect is described as a black man in his late 20s to early 30s with a light to medium complexion, Dickerson said.

He was dressed in a brown T-shirt, black shorts and white tennis shoes, is about 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet tall and weighs 140 to 160 pounds, according to a police report. Those with any information about the robbery are encouraged to call CrimeStoppers at 423-TIPS. DECATUR Bottle rocket brush fire extinguished An errant bottle rocket apparently started a brush fire near the U.S. 51 and Interstate 72 late Wednesday morning. Decatur Fire Inspector Mike Wigginton said dry ground and wind fueled the blaze ignited by the firecracker near the Bristol Gardens Apartments.

After firefighters extinguished the 50-by-50-foot fire, they found a bottle rocket perched on a picnic table nearby, Wigginton said. No one was injured. Bottle rockets, which require a permit to be set off, and all fireworks should be used in a supervised area, Wigginton said. A water supply should be on hand in case of fire, he said. Fire Marshal David Rozanski said people who will be setting of fireworks for Fourth of July celebrations should be reminded that the grass is dry and susceptible to burning.

"I bought a permit, and I think all we will do is sparklers," Rozanski said. SPRINGFIELD Law gives optometry scholarships Optometry students in Illinois can qualify for $5,000 renewable scholarships under a measure signed into law by Gov. George H. Ryan. The new law will bestow $5,000 scholarships on 10 optometry students every year.

Recipients can reapply for the scholarship for a maximum of eight semesters or 12 quarters and can use the money toward tuition and fees. Applicants must be accepted or enrolled in an optometry school in the state. The Illinois College of Optometry in Chicago is the only in-state school. The law is effective immediately, and scholarships will be available during the 2003-04 academic year. Recipients must practice in Illinois for the same number of years that they receive the scholarship.

If a recipient decides to practice out of state, the money will have to be repaid with 5 percent interest. The money comes from the Optometry Licensing and Disciplinary Board Fund and will be administered by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. roud to be American Patriotism knows no age limit for residents of two day care centers By AMBER WILLIAMS Staff Writer Petition objections 'frivolous' Libertarian Party fires back at GOP signature criticism By RICHARD GOLDSTEIN Springfield Bureau Writer SPRINGFIELD Representatives of the Libertarian Party said Wednesday the Illinois Republican Party is forcing the state to waste tax money because of a "frivolous" objection to the third party's petitions to get a slate of candidates on the ballot in November. Mike Ginsberg, vice chairman for media for the Libertarian Party, said it would cost $300,000 to $500,000 for the state to sort through 29,000 objections to the party's 52,000 signatures. The objections were filed Monday by prominent members of the Republican Party.

Ginsberg said Republicans fear that the Libertarian gubernatorial candidate, Cal Skinner of Lakewood, a former Republican state representative, would take votes away from Jim Ryan, the Republican candidate Ginsberg said Republicans have objected to 29,000 of the Libertarians' 52,000 signatures. Ginsberg said that among the objections are that petitioners left out vowels when indicating where they lived. For example, "Sprngfld" might appear and objectors claimed they couldn't tell which town the petitioner lived in, when it obviously is Springfield. Irv Smith, chairman of the Sangamon County Republican Party, which is based in Springfield, and Carla Bender, the Logan County circuit clerk, are the objectors. Bender said in a telephone interview that her purpose in objecting to the Libertarian filings was to make sure petitions are legally filed.

"My interest is simply as a good government interest," Bender said. "If they got enough valid signatures to be on the ballot, then they should be on the ballot, and if they didn't, they should not, and that's all it's about." Bender said she is not a lawyer and didn't know whether it was valid to challenge a petition signature because vowels were left out of the name of a city. She also said others in the Republican Party conducted research on the petitions. Pat Freeman, director of election information for the Illinois State Board of Elections, said state law allows common abbreviations of cities to be used when signing a petition. Freeman said a hearing would be July 10 to set the ground rules for deciding how objections on thousands of individual signatures would proceed.

She said it could be mid-August before State Board of Elections officials could rule on all the signatures, and court appeals could follow. Richard Goldstein can be reached at richardgoldsteinlee.net or 782-4043. 4, "Watching the children was really nice," Tanzyus said. When he was a child, Tanzyus remembers shooting off firecrackers with his parents and his dad shooting a gun into the air to hear the loud crack. The Fourth of July is a great holiday because it gives people a chance to remember those who fought for freedom and see what a good country we have, Tanzyus said.

"We are tickled to death that we have a good country, free country," Tanzyus said. Watching the children's parade reminded Mary Evans of celebrating the Fourth of July when she was young. "I always enjoy the Fourth," Evans said. Amber Williams can be reached at awilliams or 421-7985. Decatur Day Care Center, said the children have been doing a Fourth of July parade ever since the day care centers moved into the building behind St.

Mary's Hospital seven years ago. Having a parade the kids can get excited about and make props for is an easy way to talk to them about their country, Friend said. "We are trying to instill the ideas and ideals of patriotism in them," Friend said. Pairing the children from the day care with elders at the adult day care is a win-win situation, because they all enjoy it and learn something from each other, Friend said. Tony Tanzyus, one of those at the adult day care center who watched the parade, said he appreciates what the Decatur Day Care Center does to get children involved with their country.

DECATUR Fourth of July celebrations began early at the Decatur Day Care Center, as patriotic youths flashed their stars and stripes to an adoring crowd. One hundred children ranging in age from 6 weeks to 5 years old paraded through the neighboring St. Mary's Adult Day Care Center and around the parking lot of the facility to the tune of patriotic marches. The children were adorned with Statue of Liberty and Uncle Sam hats they had made, as well as coffee can drums and red, white and blue streamers. Children who were too young to walk were strolled through the center, while the others sang, waved their streamers and banged their drums.

Diane Friend, executive director of Ads spark candidate drug legislation debate Phelps, Shimkus take sides on prescription benefits for seniors i V7 i rf i mirf Sr I it' Shimkus Phelps The Republican proposal would cost $350 billion over 10 years, said. The legislation, which passed the U.S. House on Friday, goes to the Senate, which must act on it, or on its own version, by October. Phelps said the Democrat agreed. He said the Republican plan wouldn't bust the budget and it reduces the drug bills of senior citizens by 40 percent.

Tomaszewski also said Shimkus had nothing to do with the "These ads have no bearing on cent of prescription drug costs up to $2,000 and everything above that level. The ads Phelps took exception to are sponsored by United Seniors Association. The advertisements encourage constituents to call Shimkus and congratulate him for voting in favor of the Republican plan. Figures provided by Phelps estimate the group has spent $140,000 on television advertisements in Central Illinois and St. Louis media markets thanking Shimkus for his vote on the Republican plan to provide drug coverage for senior citizens.

The figures were compiled by Media Strategies and Research on behalf of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Richard Goldstein can be reached at richardgoldsteinIee.net or 782-4043. By RICHARD GOLDSTEIN Springfield Bureau Writer SPRINGFIELD U.S. Rep. David Phelps, D-Eldo-rado, complained Wednesday about television commercials that make his fall election opponent, U.S.

Rep. John M. Shimkus, R-Collins-ville, appear to favor prescription drug help for the elderly. In reality, Phelps said during a Statehouse news conference, the legislation that is the subject of the commercials is a do-nothing Republican plan designed solely to let members of that party say they did something about an important political issue. Steve Tomaszewski, press secretary for Shimkus, dis- 4These ads have no-bearing on what the congressman's vote or position Steve Tomaszewski, press secretary for U.S.

Rep. Shimkus what the congressman's vote or position was," Tomaszewski said. "This bill gives 95 percent of seniors a prescription drug benefit." ic prescription drug proposal, which was not called for a vote in the House, would cost $900 billion over 10 years. Phelps said it would cover 80 per.