Names

Stevenson officially withdraws as Democratic candidate

As of April 23, the Illinois Democratic party was without a candidate for governor in the 1986 election. Keeping the promise he made the day after the March 18 primary, Adlai E. Stevenson III, who garnered the most votes in the Democratic primary (735,249), withdrew his name from the ballot as the Democratic nominee and announced he would run for governor as an independent candidate, or if necessary, under the label of a new party.

Stevenson had said he would not stay on the same ticket with the two LaRouche candidates who upset regular Democratic candidates for lieutenant governor and secretary of state. Stevenson's withdrawal leaves Mark J. Fairchild on the ballot as lieutenant governor candidate, but without a gubernatorial running mate. The Illinois Constitution requires that candidates for those two offices run as a team in the general election although not in the primary which was where Fairchild defeated Stevenson's picked running mate, Sen. George E. Sangmeister (D-42, Mokena). As of May 6, the question of Fairchild's legitimacy on the ballot without a running mate was still not answered. Janice A. Hart, also associated with political extremist Lyndon H. LaRouche Jr., defeated party-backed Aurelia M. Pucinski as secretary of state candidate of the Democratic party.

Determined to remain in the race against Gov. James R. Thompson, Stevenson had challenged the election law which sets a December 1985 filing date for independent candidates. Third parties have until August 4 to declare their intention to run in the November 4 general election. Stevenson had claimed that his constitutional rights to free speech and equal protection have been violated by the law setting the early filing date. The U.S. District Court in Chicago ruled against Stevenson on May 16th.

Stevenson does have the option of forming a political party. But it would involve finding people who would be willing to run as token candidates for all top 10 statewide offices, from U.S. Senate to University of Illinois trustees. As an independent, Stevenson needs only a running mate. In either case, petition requirements must still be met.

Mike Howlett Jr. and Jane Spirgel from DuPage to run with Stevenson

Two weeks after announcing his intention to run as an independent candidate for governor, Adlai E. Stevenson III introduced his candidates for lieutenant governor and secretary of state on May 5. Joining Stevenson on his ticket are former Cook County Associate Judge Michael J. Howlett Jr., who will run for lieutenant governor, and DuPage County Board member Jane Spirgel, secretary of state candidate.

Howlett, 37, resigned from the bench before he announced his acceptance of Stevenson's invitation to be his running mate. He is the son of Michael J. Howlett Sr., a former secretary of state who was defeated by Gov. James R. Thompson in the 1976 gubernatorial election. Mike Howlett Jr. had just beaten seven opponents in the March 18 Democratic primary for an uncontested Cook County circuit court judgeship in the November election.

Spirgel, 44, served for 12 years as the only Democrat on the DuPage County Board. She is on the faculty in the division of public administration at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.

Martinez replaces Soliz in House

A new member of the Illinois House of Representatives was sworn in April 7. Ben Martinez, a long time resident of Chicago's Pilsen community, was appointed to take the place of former Rep. Juan Soliz as 20th District representative. Martinez, 60, will serve the remainder of the unexpired term of Soliz, who was elected alderman from the 25th Ward in the March 18 special aldermanic election in Chicago. Soliz resigned his seat in the House March 25.

Martinez, the third Hispanic legislator to serve in the General Assembly, serves on the board of directors of both the Mexican Civic Society and the General Woods Boys Club in Chicago. He also worked as an administrative assistant and ward secretary for former Chicago Ald. Vito Marzullo. Martinez will occupy Soliz' office in Springfield: 2050 Stratton Bldg., Springfield, IL 62706.

Rural life to be studied by new task force

Citing the need to preserve the state's small towns and rural areas, Gov. James R. Thompson announced the formation of a task force to study the problem on Agriculture Day, March 20. Lt. Gov. George Ryan is serving as chairman of the Task Force on the Future of Rural Illinois.

Appointed by the governor to serve as vice chairmen were John McCall of Galesburg and Jim Walsh of Carmi. Don Norton of Springfield is executive director.

McCall has been president of Knox College since 1982. From 1966 to 1982, he headed the English Department at the University of Cincinnati, serving the last six years as the university's senior vice president and provost. Prior to that McCall was a professor of English at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

Walsh has been a farmer for over half a century. He also served as president of the Illinois Association of Agricultural Fairs in 1983 and 1984.

Norton has been superintendent of the Department of Agriculture's markets division since 1983; he took a leave from that post April 1. From 1967 to 1983, Norton was former U.S. Rep. Paul Findley's administrative assistant; between 1965 and 1967 he was an assistant professor of political science at Western Illinois University-Macomb. The owner of a 300-acre farm in western Illinois, Norton has been involved in small town and rural problems for over 20 years.

The task force, which will have between 30 and 40 members, is to be divided into four subcommittees: economic development and transportation; health care and social services; local government and education; and production, agricultural credit and agribusiness.

Both short- and long-range issues are to be addressed. The group is to assess the effectiveness of Illinois' current farm programs and recommend improvements as well as additional legislation. In a larger sense, the task force will look at how state government generally affects rural and small town life.

The group plans to visit nearly 40 towns around the state this summer to solicit the views of small town and rural residents. The information gathered by the group is to be reported to the governor next spring and will be used to prepare the state's Rural Illinois 2000 Plan.

36/June 1986/Illinois Issues

Camile named to head DORS' kids services

Illinois Department of Rehabilitation Services (DORS) director Susan S. Suter annoinced in March the appointment of Bill Camille of New Berlin as manager for the department's division of services for children.

Camille, 44, had been with the New Berlin school district for 22 years, serving as principal of Loami and New Berlin elementary schools; he was also the coordinator of the New Berlin special education system.

As manager of the child services division, Camille will oversee the programs offered at the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired and the Illinois School for the Deaf, both in Jacksonville, and the Illinois Children's School and Rehabilitation Center in Chicago.

Burris names new press secretary

In March, Comptroller Roland W. Burris named Rick Davis as his new press secretary. The 34-year-old Chicago native was most recently assistant press secretary in the office of Senate President Philip J. Rock (D-8 Oak Park). Prior to joining Rock's staff, he worked as a reporter for the Daily Journal in Kankakee.

Davis replaced Don Schaefer, who joined the Illinois Petroleum Council in Springfield.

The Judiciary

A brouhaha in the Cook County Circuit Court in March resulted in the appointment of Bennjamin S. Mackoff of Chicago as presiding judge of the court's domestic relations division by Chief Judge Harry G. Comerford. The reassignment of former presiding judge, Richard H. Jorzak, to the court's law jury division came one month after a report issued by the Special Commission on the Administration of Justice in Cook County criticized the way the division was being operated and the resulting 18,000-case backlog.

The longest sentence to come out of Operation Greylord was reaffirmed April 1 by the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Former Cook County associate judge John J. Devine, who is currently serving a 15-year sentence in a federal prison in Kentucky, was convicted in October 1985 on 24 counts of extortion, 21 mail fraud counts, one count of attempted extortion and a racketeering count. His is the second Greylord conviction to be reaffirmed by the federal appeals court.

June 1986/Illinois Issues/37

In other action, the Illinois Supreme Court recently appointed Lewis V. Morgan Jr. of Wheaton as circuit judge of the 18th Judicial Circuit. The appointment was effective April 8 and extends through November 30 when Morgan will relinquish the seat to the winner of the November election. Presumably, this will be Republican John W. Darrah of Bartlett; no Democrat is on the ballot. Morgan is filling the vacancy created by the resignation of Edwin Douglas.

The following attorneys have been appointed by the circuit judges as associate judges:

William G. Schwartz of Murphysboro in the 1st Judicial Circuit. Previously, Schwartz was in private practice.

James V. Hill of Robinson in the 2nd Judicial Circuit. Hill had been in private practice.

In the 3rd Judicial Circuit, Daniel J. Stack of Highland. Previously, he was in private practice and had also served part time as an assistant attorney general.

In the 9th Judicial Circuit, David D. Wilson of Farmington. Wilson had been an assistant state's attorney for Fulton County.

In the 16th Judicial Circuit, Douglas R. Engel of Hinckley. Engel had been in private practice.

Wallace B. Dunn of Highland Park in the 19th Judicial Circuit. He had been in private practice prior to this appointment.

The following associate judges have resigned or retired:

From the 3rd Judicial Circuit, John Gitchoff of Granite City, effective April 1. He had been a judicial officer for seven years.

John D. Sullivan of Peoria from the 10th Judicial Circuit, effective August 1. Sullivan has been a judicial officer since 1969.

In the 16th Judicial Circuit, James W. Cadwell of Geneva, effective April 30. He had been a judge since 1970.

House Republicans get new press aide

Debra Willard has joined the press staff of the Illinois House Republicans. Willard, formerly a reporter for the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, became an assistant press secretary March 3. She helps Republican members of the House with press releases, newsletters and media relations. Willard is a graduate of the Public Affairs Reporting Program at Sangamon State University.

Pressroom change

Steve Hahn has joined the Springfield bureau of United Press International (UPI). Hahn, 31, was hired March 24 to replace Janet Shedd, who left the wire service after five years to work for a Dayton, Ohio, newspaper. Prior to joining UPI, Hahn was a reporter with Springfield's State Journal-Register for nine years, four of which he spent covering Illinois government and politics.

Felder new computer chief at SIU

Nathaniel L. Felder, 35, was named by the Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees as the chief computer expert for the SIU system. Felder is the former head of administrative computing at North Carolina Central University.

As director of planning for computing, he will develop long-range and tactical plans, review all computer-related purchase requests of more than $15,000 and coordinate hardware acquisitions for SIU's major computer centers. Felder assumed his duties on April 1.

Felder's post, created last year under guidelines for the adminstration of computing affairs, is part of SIU's attempts to coordinate computer usage systemwide.

Three appointed to Argonne's governing board

Three physicists were appointed to serve on the Argonne National Laboratory Board of Governors by the University of Chicago's Board of Trustees in March.

They are Solomon J. Buchsbaum of Holmdel, N.J., executive vice president of customer systems for AT&T Bell Laboratories; Robert A. Charpie of Boston, Mass., president of Cabot Corporation of Boston; and Mildred S. Dresselhaus of Cambridge, Mass., a distinguished professor of physics, electrical engineering and computer science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Buchsbaum, a 24-year employee of AT&T Bell Laboratories, is chairman of the White House Science Council. He is also a senior consultant to and former chairman of the Defense Science Board and a trustee of the Rand Corporation. He once served as trustee of the Argonne Universities Association, the group that formerly oversaw Argonne operations.

Charpie has been the president of Cabot Corporation since 1969. He previously worked for the Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) for 18 years, serving as the director of the reactor division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory and president of the electronics division of UCC. Charpie was president of Bell & Howell before joining Cabot Corporation. He is a member of the President's Science Advisory Committee, serves as trustee for the Carnegie Institute of Technology and is a member of the U.S. State Department's advisory committee on United Nation's science activities.

Dresselhaus is a member of the Energy Research Advisory Board to the U.S. Department of Energy and serves on the governing board of the National Research Council. She is also a member of the National Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of Science and serves on the governing board of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The physicists' three-year terms begin immediately.

The Argonne Board of Governors was established in 1983 to oversee laboratory policy. Board members are representatives of industry, the faculty and staff of the University of Chicago and scientists, engineers and administrators from other universities. They are appointed for terms of up to three years and may be reappointed when their terms expire.

Argonne is operated by the University of Chicago for the U.S. Department of Energy.

Thompson and Collins head national effort to protect children

A year-long Campaign to Protect Our Children — a public awareness and education program that was unveiled at a National Conference on Missing and Exploited Children in March — is the latest cooperative attempt at stopping child abuse.

Named as cochairpersons for the campaign are Gov. James R. Thompson and Gov. Martha Layne Collins of Kentucky. The campaign will be conducted by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and coordinators from each state. Jeremy Margolis, Illinois' inspector general, will be in charge of the state's involvement in the program.

Through media events, local programs and help from a variety of other public and private agencies, the campaign will attempt to develop cooperation among parents, law enforcement agencies and the private sector; educate parents on what to do if their child is missing or is exploited; train law enforcement personnel; and develop a child safety program that can be used by schools to teach students to recognize dangerous situations and how to react to them.

Illinois, Kentucky and four other Midwest states have been coordinating information since August on missing and exploited children.

38/June 1986/Illinois Issues

Risser resigns from Natural History Survey

Paul Risser, chief of the nation's oldest and largest natural history survey, will step down from the post in June to become vice president of research for the University of New Mexico-Albuquerque on July 1. Risser has headed the 127-year-old survey, presently a division of the Department of Energy and Natural Resources (DENR), since 1981. During his tenure, Risser is credited by DENR director Don Etchison with drawing greater state and national recognition to the survey and its research. Etchison also praises Risser for increasing the caliber and size of the survey's staff and with improving its data collection and management system.

The Natural History Survey's 230-member staff conducts research concerning the state's plant and animal life and makes recommendations about protecting and developing these resources. The survey also maintains a large collection of mounted plant and animal species.

Risser came to the survey from the University of Oklahoma-Norman where he was professor and department chair of botany and microbiology. He has written three books and numerous scientific papers and has served on a number of state and national boards and committees.

Risser's replacement, who will probably not be named until the end of this calendar year, will be selected by the Board of Natural Resources and Conservation. The board, which is chaired by Etchison, is composed of representatives from various academic and scientific fields appointed by the governor.

Members of the board include: Theodore Brown, dean of the graduate college and vice chancellor of research at the University of Illinois-Urbana; H.S. Gutowsky, professor of chemistry at UI-Urbana; John C. Guyon, acting vice president of academic affairs and research and dean of the graduate school at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale; Walter E. Hanson, board chairman of Hanson Engineers Inc. in Springfield; Robert Metcalf, professor of entomology at UI-Urbana and principal scientist at the survey; Lorin Nevling, former director of Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History; and Laurence Sloss, professor emeritus of geology at Northwestern University.

Hudson honored for neighborhood work

Michael H. Hudson, vice president of public affairs for Illinois Tool Works in Chicago and Illinois Issues board chairman, received 1986's One Person Makes a Difference Award from the Save Our Neighborhoods, Save our City Coalition (SON/SOC) at the group's annual meeting in May.

Hudson has worked with SON/SOC for the past two years to establish ties between the group and leaders in the corporate and business community of Chicago. He has also been an adviser to SON/SOC on its development and expansion.

SON/SOC was formed by ethnic community groups on Chicago's northwest and southwest sides to make the city a better place to live. The award is given to the outstanding Chicago area business or corporate leader who furthers the interests of people living in these areas.

Four receive Order of Lincoln award

Four outstanding Illinoisans will be awarded the Order of Lincoln by the Lincoln Academy of Illinois in June during ceremonies at Bradley University in Peoria.

Every year since 1964, the academy has honored individuals whose contributions to the betterment of mankind have been accomplished in or on behalf of Illinois or have brought honor to the state by their dedication to the principles of democracy espoused by Lincoln.

June 1986/Illinois Issues/41

In the business, industry and communications category, James F. Bere of Hinsdale, chairman and chief executive officer of the Borg-Warner Corporation, was honored for his extensive community volunteer leadership. Bere has headed many corporate, cultural and educational organizations. He is vice chairman of the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, trustee of the University of Chicago, member of Northwestern University's Kellogg Graduate School of Management and a director of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. Bere also serves on a wide variety of governmental boards and commissions.

In the communications category, William Harrison Fetridge, a prominent Chicago publisher, was recognized for his lifetime commitment to many Chicago and national foundations and charities. Fetridge is president of the Dartnell Corporation of Chicago, a nationally known publisher in the business training and information field. He has been in the publishing business for over 40 years. Fetridge, vice chairman of the World Scouting Foundation, is especially noted for his contributions to the Boy Scout of America.

Lawrence J. Rossi of Hopedale, founder of the Hopedale Hospital and Medical Complex, was honored for his achievements in the field of medicine. After serving in the U.S. Army and graduating from medical school, Rossi opened a 20-bed hospital and clinic in the rural west-central Illinois town of Hopedale in 1955. Now, the Hopedale Medical Complex is a modern, 200-bed facility that provides general and acute care for a large multicounty area. The complex also provides shelter care for the elderly, rehabilitation treatment for alcoholics, home health care and various other satellite services. The Hopedale Foundation, also started by Rossi, awards an annual scholarship for future health care professionals.

In the arts and performing arts category, Maria Tallchief of Chicago, America's first great prima ballerina, was honored for her cultural enrichment of Illinois. After achieving soloist status with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, Tallchief joined George Ballanchine's renowned New York City Ballet in 1948. For 21 years she dominated the international classic ballet scene. She became the director of the Ballet School of Chicago's Lyric Opera in 1974 and from there founded the Chicago City Ballet in 1980.

Underwood receives Lincoln the Lawyer Award

Former Supreme Court Justice Robert C. Underwood of Bloomington received 1986's Lincoln the Lawyer Award from the Abraham Lincoln Association at a banquet in February. Underwood, who retired in December 1984, served as a judicial officer in Illinois for nearly 39 years. He sat on the state's high court for almost 23 years and served as chief justice from September 1969 to January 1976.

Since 1985, the award has been given to a senior member of the Illinois bar who best exemplifies the ideals and traditions of Abraham Lincoln. Last year's winner was Abraham Lincoln Marovitz of Chicago, a senior judge of the U.S. District Court.

The Lincoln the Lawyer Award was developed in part to call attention to a five-year research project investigating Lincoln's Law practice. The proiect is being carried out jointly by the Abraham Lincoln Association and the Illinois State Historical Library. The association, which was formed in 1908 in celebration of the Lincoln centennial, has been active in the restoration of Lincoln sites and the collection of Lincoln's works.

SCSEP honors older workers, employers

Six individuals and two businesses that are associated with the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) received special awards at a March luncheon celebrating Employ the Older Workers Week. SCSEP is a federally funded program that employs low-income seniors.

Awards were given in four categories.

Public Sector Employee of the Year (unsubsidized employment): first, Geneva Criddell of Chicago, employed and nominated by the Department of Employment Security; second, Wendell Allen of Champaign, employed and nominated by the Urban League of Champaign County; and third, Hattie Cobb of Springfield, employed and nominated by the Attorney General's Decatur Regional Office.

Private Sector Employment (subsidized); first, George Wuebbles of Carlyle, employed by Clinton County Projects, nominated by Southwestern Illinois Area Agency on Aging; second, Elizabeth Perry of Chicago, employed by Salem House-Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, nominated by the Chicago Department on Aging and Disability; and third, Mary English of DeKalb, employed by the Family Service Agency, nominated by the Northwestern Illinois Area Agency on Aging.

Employer of the Year (private): Walmart Discount Store of Pekin, nominated by Job Service.

Special American Legion Employer of the Year: Capitol Clinical Laboratories of Springfield.

In Illinois SCSEP is administered jointly by the Illinois Department on Aging and seven national contractors: American Association of Retired Persons, Green Thumb Inc., National Association of Hispanic Elderly, National Caucus on the Black Aged, National Council of Senior Citizens, National Urban League and the U.S. Forest Service.

Steinheimer wins again

Randy Steinheimer, Illinois' 1985-86 educator of the year, was selected as the state's representative at the National Teacher's Forum in March in Washington, D.C. The conference was sponsored by the Education Commission of the States, an interstate organization created in 1965 to help political and education leaders improve the quality of education.

Steinheimer, a fourth grade teacher at Aurora's J.H. Freeman Elementary School, was one of 56 finalists chosen from more than 400 nominations from all sections of the country. Steinheimer was also the 1984-85 Kane County Distinguished Educator.

June 1986/Illinois Issues/back cover