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NEW RTA DIRECTORRichard J. Bacigalupo of Winnetka was appointed executive director of the Regional Transportation Authority. He was general counsel for eight years for the RTA, which is the financial oversight and planning agency for public transportation for Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties.

JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTDaniel R. Pascale was appointed circuit judge of Cook County, at large, to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Daniel J. White. Pascale had been serving as director of the Administrative Office of Illinois Courts.

HONORS
Four Illinois educators have received the 1996 Milken National Educator Award from the Milken Family Foundation and the Illinois State Board of Education. The winners — three teachers and one principal — will receive $25,000 each to spend as they wish. The program alternates between elementary and secondary educators; this year's winners are from elementary schools. The honorees are Valeria Evans of Peoria, a third grade teacher at Northmoor Primary School in Peoria; Rob Hawkins of Freeburg, principal of Carl Barton School in Freeburg; Catherine Schaller of Chicago, a fifth grade math teacher at Beethoven School in Chicago; and Kathy Weber of Edwardsville, a second grade teacher at N.O. Nelson School in Edwardsville.

Donald Terras, an anthropology lecturer at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago, received the Superior Achievement Award from the Illinois Association of Museums for his book Grosse Point Lighthouse: Landmark to Maritime History and Culture. The lighthouse, which is designated a historical landmark, served for 67 years as a navigational aid for the Port of Chicago. Terras is director of Grosse Point Lighthouse Historic Site/Lighthouse Park District. The Illinois Association of Museums is an independent statewide network of museums and other cultural agencies supported by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.
 

OBITUARY
At a White House ceremony September 9 honoring him as a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Joseph Cardinal Bernardin called the honor both humbling and challenging. "Challenging, because such an honor provides a strong motivation to work even harder to contribute to the justice, compassion, civility and peace that should mark our society." For him, he continued, "this challenge has special meaning because of the limited time I have left."

Time ran out on November 14 for Cardinal Bernardin, the senior active cardinal in the United States. He was 68 when he lost his battle with pancreatic cancer.

Bernardin was never one to shrink from the challenge of trying to make society more just, compassionate and civil. He left a legacy of moral leadership and social activism for causes he believed the Catholic Church, Christians, people of all religious faiths should embrace. He was an outspoken foe of the death penalty, abortion and assisted suicide and was awarded the Medal of Freedom for his endeavors to promote racial equality and arms control.

Born in April 1928 in Columbia, S.C, Bernardin was ordained to the priesthood in 1952. In 1966 he became auxiliary bishop of Atlanta, making him the youngest bishop in the country He was appointed archbishop of Cincinnati in 1972, and in July 1982 became archbishop of Chicago. Six months later, Pope John Paul II announced Bernardin's elevation to the College of Cardinals.

State Rep. Bernard E. Pedersen, 70, of Palatine, died of cancer just a day after winning re-election to his eighth term. As chairman of the House Insurance Committee he was known for his strong positions against adding or raising taxes. His replacement as representative for the 54th District will be named within a month.

36 / December 1996 Illinois Issues

James Jones symposium recalls author's genius

The generation now coming of age has not experienced firsthand the bitter taste of war; indeed, neither have many of their parents. They are fortunate for the experiences and the talents of writers like James Jones.

Promoting appreciation of the Illinois author best known for his 1951 novel From Here to Eternity is the purpose of the James Jones Literary Society. Founded in his hometown of Robinson in 1991, the 70th anniversary of his birth, the society hosts a symposium each fall, with support from the Illinois Humanities Council, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the General Assembly.

At the sixth annual symposium, held in November at the University of Illinois at Springfield, Willie Morris delivered the keynote address. Morris, who served as the youngest editor of the country's oldest magazine, Harpers, and who won the second Richard Wright Medal for Literary Excellence, described Jones' struggle to complete the final volume of his fictional trilogy on World War II, begun with From Here to Eternity. In 1977, as Jones lay dying of congestive heart failure, he dictated the conclusion of Whistle, which Morris edited for posthumous publication a year later. Morris argued that Jones' work on the American experience in the war from prelude to aftermath remains unsurpassed.

J. Michael Lennon, former publisher of Illinois Issues magazine and past president of the James Jones Literary Society, also screened the documentary James Jones: Reveille to Taps, which he co-edited and which aired on PBS. In researching this project, Lennon uncovered the archive of the writers' colony in Marshall, to which Jones belonged and contributed after his return from the war. The colony produced a dozen published novels before dissolving in the early 1960s. At the symposium, scholars from Massachusetts, Minnesota and Illinois shared their insights from the archive, now housed at the University of Illinois at Springfield.

The society encourages aspiring writers to achieve their own literary potential by presenting two awards at the symposium. Greg Herbek of Vassar College won the First Novel Fellowship of $2,500 for his novel-in-progress, The Hindenburg Crashes Nightly. Matthew Green, a student at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, received the $500 creative writing scholarship from his alma mater and the society headquarters, Lincoln Trail College, for a story titled, A Hundred Large.

Judy Everson

ILLINOIS AUTHORS Poet laureate brings art to life as literary society seeks to keep the past alive Does man love Art? Man visits Art, but squirms. Art hurts. Art urges voyages— and it is easier to stay at home, the nice beer ready. In commonrooms we belch, or sniff, or scratch. Are raw. But we. must cook ourselves and style ourselves for Art, who is a requiring courtesan. We squirm. We do not hug the Mona Lisa. We may touch or tolerate an astounding fountain, or a horse-and-rider. Almost, another Lion. Observe the tail cold of a Flower which is as innocent and as guilty, as meaningful and. as meaningless as any other flower in the western field. "The Chicago Picasso" (1967) Courtesy of The Contemporary Fortum, Chicago A name carved in stone came to life recently at the Illinois State Library in Springfield.  Gwendolyn Brooks, Illinois poet laureate, was the guest of honor at the Second Annual Illinois Authors Book Fair in mid-October. Brooks, who says she looks "with awe and pride" at her name carved at the top of the state library, shared her experiences and her poems with an appreciative crowd of more than 3,000 book lovers,  "Events such as the [Illinois Authors] Book Fair give presence and encouragement to authors of any age," says Brooks.  Eighty Illinois authors, including Brooks, signed books and talked with fans in the library's atrium. The book fair also included poetry and prose readings by the authors. Several storytellers entertained children and adults alike. A new exhibit called "The Magic of Children's Book Illustration" featured more than 50 original illustrations by 11 Illinois artists. Actors portraying Carl Sandburg and Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln mingled with the crowd, as did characters from The Wonderful Wizard of 0:. Several Illinois publishing houses exhibited their collections.  Gwendolyn Brooks won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1950 and was named Poet Laureate of Illinois in 1968, succeeding Carl Sandburg. Each year she sponsors the Illinois Poet Laureate Awards for high school and elementary students. Winners receive a $100 prize for their original poems. Brooks says she works with young people from all over the state and has seen an interest in poetry double since the late 1960s, when "it blossomed," often "rising from impromptu readings on street corners." She says the state-sponsored book fair is an excellent way to engage young people and encourage their love of reading and writing.  Beverley Scobell

Victories in several targeted races (see Illinois Issues, October 1996, page 22) helped Illinois Democrats take back control of the state House of Representatives (60-58) and narrow the gap in the state Senate (31-28).
 

HOUSE
District 37 in the south suburbs

Democrat Kevin McCarthy of Orland Park beat Republican John Doody Jr. of Homewood

District 38 in the southwest suburbs

Republican Renee Kosel of New Lenox beat Democrat Lois Mayer of Mokena

District 47 in the western suburbs

Incumbent Republican Eileen Lyons of Western Springs beat Democrat Mark Pera of Western Springs

District 79 in the south suburbs

Democrat Mike Giglio of Calumet City beat Republican Marvin Lyzenga of Lansing

District 80 in the south suburbs

Democrat George Scully Jr. of Flossmoor beat Republican incumbent Flora Ciarlo of Steger

District 103 in Champaign

Incumbent Republican Rick Winkel of Champaign beat Democrat Naomi Jakobsson of Champaign

District 115 in southern Illinois

Incumbent Republican Mike Bost of Murphysboro beat Democrat John Rendleman of Carbondale

SENATE

District 7 in northwest Chicago

Incumbent Republican Walter Dudycz of Chicago beat Democrat Robert Martwick of Norridge

District 24 in southwest Chicago

Republican Christine Radogno of Chicago narrowly beat Democrat Nancy Kenney of LaGrange

District 34 in Rockford

Incumbent Republican Dave Syverson of Rockford beat Democrat Carol Jambor-Smith of Rockford

District 40 in the south suburbs

Democrat Debbie DeFrancesco Halvorson of Crete beat incumbent Republican Aldo DeAngelis of Olympia Fields

District 50 in Springfield

Republican Larry Bomke of Springfield beat Tom Londrigan of Springfield

District 58 in southern Illinois

Republican Dave Luechtefeld of DuQuoin beat Democrat Barbara Brown of Carbondale

Governor's appointments

In October, Gov. Jim Edgar made 102 appointments to various state boards and commissions. Of those, 24 were women, six of whom were named to the Arts Council. A sampling follows.

Michael J. Gavin of Joliet was appointed to the Illinois Educational Eabor Relations Board. He is assistant president and business manager for the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 399. He is paid a salary of $65,130 annually, plus expenses.

Ernst Ott of Libertyville, a self-employed management consultant, was appointed to the State Board of Health. Reappointed to the board was Colin L. McRae of Mundelein, president of Contract Building Service Inc.

Lee H. Walker of Burr Ridge, founder and president of The New Coalition for Economic & Social Change, was appointed to the Illinois Community College Board.

Reappointed to the Lottery Control Board was Hilder L. Garrison of Naperville, president of A.S.E.O. Co. Inc. (formerly Bestway Co.).

Irene D. Antoniou of Oak Brook was named the new chairman of the Illinois Arts Council. She replaces Shirley Madigan, who stepped down as chair in August but remained on the council. Madigan was reappointed in October.

Others reappointed were Martin E. Janis of Chicago, president of Martin E. Janis Co.; Catheleen R. Kahn-Healey of Homewood, a retired teacher; Elaine C. Muchin of Chicago, president of Elaine C. Muchin Consulting Inc.; Ramon B. Price of Chicago, chief curator of the DuSable Museum of African- American History; Terry A. Scrogum of Astoria, deputy executive director of the Hope School in Springfield; Abram "Andy" D. Van Meter of Springfield, president of Design Ideas; Giacomo R. Leone of LaSalle, director of theatre and speech instructor at Illinois Valley Community College; and Henry "Chappie" L. Chapman of Dunlap, senior vice president of Everen Securities.

New appointments to the arts council were Gail Lumpkin of Mattoon, a self-employed antique dealer; Alvin Goldfarb of Bloomington, dean of the College of Fine Arts at Illinois State University; and Virginia G. Bobins of Chicago, who is active in civic and community organizations.

Reappointed to the Board of Agricultural Advisors were: Maria M. Behrends of Herscher, assistant farm director for Twin Cities Broadcasting-WJBC; Karen L. Droste of Nashville, administrative assistant to the general manager of Ligma Corp.; and Donald A. Holt of Champaign, director of the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

38 / December 1996 Illinois Issues