Names

Skinner for U.S. senator

Rep. Cal Skinner. Jr., ( R.. Crystal Lake) announced November 9 he will run in 1980 Tor the U.S. Senate seat now held by Adiai E. Stevenson 111. Skinner was elected to his fourth term to the Illinois House in the last election and received the second highest number of votes. He cited inflation and the Democrats' mismanagement as the two issues in his campaign against Stevenson.

Department of Corrections

Turnover continued in the Department of corrections (DOC) with the resignation in early January of Edmund H. Muth, Palatine, as chief of DOC's manpower division to accept a job in private industry. Muth, who has been in charge of prison industries since 1976 felt that progress has been made in his division. Income from prison industries rose from $1.9 million in 1976 to $4.8 million in 1978, and five new industries were established, three of which are already in operation. Muth favor's continued expanion of prison plants, noting that legislation sending in the Senate would allow a license plate factory to be established at Pontiac. He aid the proposed factory would provide 100 jobs for inmates and alleviate the scarcity of jobs there.

Legislation passed this spring allows prisons to sell their products to government agencies and nonprofit corporations outside of Illinois. However, DOC still has a way to go in employing a large proportion of inmates, and there are some who feel such industries compete unfairly with private businesses. Department figures show 526 inmates or about 5 per cent of a prison population of 9,589 are employed in some kind of industry. Not included in the count are the Menard Psychiatric Center or the Logan Correctional Center. The Women's Correctional Center at Dwight has the highest proportion of inmates employed in an industry, approximately 14 per cent.

Other personnel changes at DOC include the appointment of three assistant wardens. Ron Ashby, Pontiac, was named by the department director in November as assistant warden for program services at Pontiac. Ashby was previously clinical service supervisor at Dwight Correctional Center. He replaced William O'Sullivan, Chicago, who became correctional parole supervisor for DOC's newly created Chicago district. Louis Lowery, Pontiac, was named assistant warden for operations at Pontiac, also in November. Formerly chief of security at Pontiac, he replaced David Sandahl, Joliet, who became detention consultant at DOC's office of operations in October.

Nancy Harm, Lake Zurich, took over as assistant warden for program services, Joliet Correctional Center, effective December 1. She was treatment specialist for the office of program services at Joliet and replaced James R. Nolan, Chicago, who resigned. Harm's appointment brings the number of women wardens in the state to three.

Appointments

Rep. Daniel L. Houlihan (D., Chicago), as legislative counsel, Illinois Bar Association, effective in January when he completes his current term in the Illinois House. A representative since 1972, Houlihan did not run for a fourth term and is being mentioned as a possible candidate for Cook County state's attorney in 1980.

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Carter Hendron, Springfield, as Senate Republican staff director, by Senate Minority Leader David C. Shapiro effective November 8. He replaced Tim Campbell, Springfield, who resigned. Hendron was previously legislative liaison to Gov. James R. Thompson. Replacing Hendron in the governor's office is Bruce Stratton who was named to the liaison post November 20. Stratton had been administrative director, Office of the State Appellate Defender, for the last five years.

Jerry Owens, Springfield, to the newly created post of public relations director for the State Board of Elections, by the board effective December 16. Owens was press secretary and legislative assistant for the Senate majority staff.

Barbara Ann Fritsche, Jacksonville, as chief of the civil rights division, Office of the Attorney General, by Atty. Gen. William J. Scott effective November 1. She replaced David G. Lichtenstein who is now assistant attorney general with the environmental control division, Chicago.

Patrick I. Murphy, Chicago, as public guardian and conservator of Cook County by the governor effective in November, Murphy, a lawyer with the firm of Goldberg

Tax Limitation Committee Creation of the Illinois Tax Limitation Committee chaired by Rep. Donald L. Totten (R., Hoffman Estates), was announced in September. The committee, made up of both public and legislative members, is trying to get support for its proposed Taxpayers' Rights Amendment which would limit state and local taxes to 8 per cent of the state's total personal income and keep local governments from increasing taxes by more than 3 per cent annually without a referendum (see "Illinois tax revolt -- the 8% solution," December). Members of the board of directors are; Chairman Totten, Co-chairmen Sen. George E. Sangmeister (D., Mokena), Rep Thaddeus S. Lechowicz (D., Chicago) and Sen. John A. Graham (R., Barrington); David E. Brown, Long Grove, Kemper Insurance; Raymond E. Cross, Chicago, Federal Die Casting Co.; Ronald K. Hoffman, Springfield, Illinois Savings and Loan League.Harold Knapheide III, Quincy, Knapheide Manufacturing Co.; Paul J. Maton, Hinsdale, Illinois Trucking Association; Don L. Robinson, San Mateo, Calif.; National Federation of Independent Business; and Douglas L. Whitley, Springfield, Taxpayers' Federation of Illinois.

and Murphy, will serve temporarily until a permanent successor is selected and confirmed by the Senate. He replaces Jane Terrell, Western Springs, who was removed from office by the governor.

Andy Madonia, Springfield, as assistant supervisor, consumer finance division, Department of Financial Institutions, by department director Edgar Callahan effective November 16. His post involves supervising consumer credit companies. An independent consultant doing political and research surveys, Madonia has been active in Republican politics.

Mike Murphy, Tallula, as district six wildlife manager. Department of Conservation, by department director David Kenney effective in October. Murphy is responsible for seven central Illinois counties. He replaced John Kube who was promoted to assistant forest game biologist.

Samuel A. Lilly, Bolingbrook, was elected president of the Illinois State Historical Society at the 79th annual meeting in October. He is president of Lilly Associates, Inc., and served as executive director of the Illinois Bicentennial Committee.

Barbara Hipsman, Springfield, as Springfield correspondent for the Belleville NewDemocrat in August. As a public affairs reporting intern at Sangamon State University, Springfield, she covered the legislature for the Chicago Tribune.

Resignations

Tyrone C. Fahner, Springfield, as director, Department of Law Enforcement effective early 1979. Fahner, who was appointed by Gov. Thompson in January 1977, will return to private law practice with Freeman, Rothe, Freeman and Saizman, Chicago. Fahner said Daniel K. Webb, Chicago, will succeed him. Webb was hired in November by Joan G. Anderson, director of the Department of Registration and Education, as special assistant to investigate the quality of care and medicaid fraud in abortion clinics. Webb has been in private practice with a Chicago law firm and was, like Fahner, an assistant U.S. attorney in the Northern District of Illinois during the time Thompson was U.S. attorney.

Charles P. Kocoras, Oak Lawn, as chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission effective January 5. K-ocoras, who was appointed by Gov. Thompson in 1977, was first assistant U.S. attorney in the Northern District of Illinois when Thompson was U.S. attorney. Kocoras said he intends to enter private law practice.

Theodore D. Puckorius, Springfield, as director of the Department of Administrative Services effective December 7. Puckorius, who was appointed by Gov. Thompson in 1977, accepted a post with the Ralph M. Parsons Company, Pasadena, Calif. Puckorius will be deputy program manager for

More public members on currency exchange board The Currency Exchange Advisory Board was reorganized in October by Gov. James R. Thompson to give public members a majority. The board, which , works with the Department of Financial Institutions to monitor the state's currency exchanges, now has four public members and three from the exchange industry. Public members are Arnita Y.Boswell, Chicago, professor of social services, University of Chicago ;Richard E. Favoriti, Chicago, attorney and adjunct professor of law, Loyola University; Clara Navarro, Chicago, .editor of El Informador, a Spanish language news paper , and Walter Russell,Chicago, president. Advisory Council for Senior Citizen Housing in Chicago- Boswell's and Favoriti's terms end in January 1979, Navarro and Russell's terms in January 1981. Industry members are Thomas J. Duffy, Chicago, an attorney who has represented currency exchanges in the General Assembly, and Margaret L. Dyer, Chicago, owner of the 47th and Drexel Exchange. Both Duffy's and Dyer's terms end in January I981.An industry member has not yet been named to replace exchange operator Ralph Barr, Chicago, who resigned in October.

the Yanbu, Saudi Arabia project to build an eastern seaport town.

Retirements

Henry W. Dieringer, Barrington as justice of the First District Appellate Court, Chicago, effective November 15.Dieringer was elected appellate judge in 1970.At the time of his retirement, he was under investigation by the Judicial Inquiry Board in connection with alleged delays in an offense track betting case. The investigation is now being handled by the U.S. Attorney's office because the board's authority does not extend to non-sitting judges. A coalition of groups including the Chicago Bar Association ,the Chicago Council of Lawyers and the Committee on Courts and Justice urged the state Supreme Court to appoint a nominatingcommission and use a merit selection plan in choosing Dieringer's successor.

Honors

Joseph Corsello, Morris, a high school art teacher for 19 years, was named Illinois Teacher of the Year at the Fifth Annual "Those Who Excel" banquet in October The award is sponsored by the state board of Education.

32/ January 1979/ Illlinois Issues