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Gov. Jim Edgar has created a task force to look deeply into the state's social service programs, specifically services to needy children and families. Using a nine-month planning grant of $225,000 from the Casey Foundation to conduct the review, the task force will be led by Gary MacDougal of Chicago, a trustee of both the Casey Foundation and the W.T. Grant Foundation. Both foundations focus on disadvantaged children and their needs. MacDougal is chairman of the Finance Committee of United Parcel Service of America.

The basic principles of the new task force include helping families and children help themselves. According to chairman MacDougal, the task force will be working with the families, trying to bring them together as one unit. The task force also hopes to strengthen community economic development, utilizing resources coming into the community to provide training and jobs for residents of that particular community. The task force will emphasize cost-effective prevention over inefficient, after-the-fact treatment, amelioration and crisis management.

The task force will be assisted by an advisory group that includes representatives of community-based and philanthropic organizations as well as scholars in the field of human service programs. The task force will meet monthly.

Task force members include: Ira Barbell, senior associate, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Greenwich, Conn.; Stephen L. Farmer of Chicago, managing director of the services division, Andersen Consulting, Chicago; Stanley James Hallett of Chicago, research associate. Center of Urban Affairs and Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston; Vince Lane of Chicago, executive director and chairman of the board of commissioners, Chicago Housing Authority; Terence J. Mulvihill of Chicago, limited partner, Goldman, Sachs & Company, Chicago; Stephen M. Singer of Glencoe, consulting partner in government services, Andersen Consulting, Chicago; and Paula Wolff of Chicago, president of Governor's State University, University Park, and longtime top policy adviser in the James R. Thompson administration.

Edgar cabinet members on the task force include: Department of Public Aid director, Phil Bradley of Springfield; Department of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse director, James E. Long of Springfield; Department of Public Health director, John R. Lumpkin of Chicago; Department of Rehabilitation Services director, Audrey L. McCrimon of Chicago; Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities director, Jess McDonald of Springfield; Department of Children and Family Services director, Sterling "Mac" Ryder of Springfield, and Bureau of the Budget director, Joan Walters of Springfield.

Nearly 500 residents of Ina were treated to an orientation and overnight stay in Illinois' newest prison, the Big Muddy River Correctional Center, a medium-security prison located near Ina in southern Illinois. The prison, the 24th for the Illinois Department of Corrections, was officially opened by Gov. Edgar on March 8. The cost of building the $48 million prison was financed with construction bonds. The prison's annual operating budget will be $17 million.

Designed to house 952 inmates, the prison is expected to increase its population to over 1,600 inmates within the next few months, according to Big Muddy's warden, Mary Hardy-Hall, formerly warden of the Robinson Correctional Center. The prison consists of 17 buildings in a 12 8-acre compound. The original proposal to build the prison was drawn up on July 27, 1987. Ground was broken on May 11,1990, but completion was delayed by state fiscal problems.

Warden Hardy-Hall's career within the department began in 1974. She earned her bachelor of science degree in social work from George Williams College in 1969. Also appointed to operate the new prison were Michael L. Holmes as assistant warden for operations and Donna Rich-Murdock as assistant warden for programs. The appointments were made by Department of Corrections director Howard A. Peters Ill. in November.

Dennis Gannon, 39, of Chicago was named by Gov. Edgar to the seven-member Capital Development Board (CDB), effective February 24. Gannon is a business agent for the International Union of Operating Engineers. He replaces Alan Golboro. The CDB manages the state's building and capital improvement program and advises state agencies and units of local government on long-range capital expenditure plans. It also reviews and periodically revises building and construction codes. Cannon's appointment requires Senate confirmation. His term runs for four years, ending in 1997, and he will be paid only for expenses.

Gov. Edgar announced four appointments to the Miners Examining Board, effective March 19. The new members of the board, which holds monthly examinations to determine competency and qualifications of applicants for certification as miners in Illinois, include: Kenneth Ellis, 43, of Marion, a roof bolter at Brushy Creek Mine in Galatia, replacing George Gossett; Claude Filkins, 49, of West Frankfort, a coal miner for Zeigler Coal Co. at Old Ben Mine No. 25 in West Frankfort, replacing James Stewart; Carl Kunkel, 43, of DuQuoin, an underground coal miner for Zeigler Coal at Old Ben Mine No. 26 in Benton, replacing Paul Emery, and Franklin Wren, 54, of Harrisburg, a coal miner and shuttle car driver for the Sahara Coal Co. in Harrisburg, replacing Byron Beard.

Each new member will receive $7,000 annually plus expenses, and each term runs two years, ending in 1995. Senate confirmation is not required.

Illinois Department of Agriculture director Becky Doyle issued a reminder notice April 1 on candidate petition deadlines for the July 1 elections for the Illinois Corn Marketing Board, the Illinois Soybean Program Operat-

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State of Illinois Center changes to James R. Thompson Center The State of Illinois Center at 100 W. Randolph in Chicago will become the James R. Thompson Center on Monday, May 10. A plaque will be placed on the front of the building to honor the former governor of Illinois during a dedication ceremony, according to Mark Schmidt, administrator of the office of public affairs for Central Management Services, which runs the center. He added that the entire production will be done at no cost to taxpayers. Private donations are even being solicited to cover the cost of changing signs, etc. Last year the General Assembly passed a resolution officially proclaiming the change in name for the center to honor the former Republican governor. Thompson set the record as the longest-serving Illinois governor and the building was built and opened while he was governor. Elected four times as governor, Thompson served continuously from January 10, 1977, until January 14, 1991, when Gov. Jim Edgar took over. Thompson is now with the Chicago law firm, Winston & Strawn.

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ing Board and the Illinois Sheep and Wool Marketing Board. The department oversees the elections for the three agricultural producer administrative boards. Members are elected from districts.

The Illinois Beef Council will also conduct board member elections on July 1. It oversees its own elections. Petitions for that board may be obtained by writing to: Illinois Beef Council, 993 Clock Tower Drive, Springfield 62704.

Petitions for the corn and soybean boards are due at the Department of Agriculture by May 5. Petitions for the sheep and wool board are due by May 31.

Qualifications for board candidates include producing and marketing the commodity the board represents during the last calender year. Persons must also be age 18 and reside in the district in which they run for election.

Candidate petitions and further information are available from county extension offices and from the state Department of Agriculture (Bureau of Market Development and Information, Illinois Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 19281, Springfield 62794-9281).

Twelve organizations, representing political, religious and cultural interests, announced formation in March of their coalition in support of educational choice in Illinois. The coalition will be known as the Illinois Educational Choice Coalition (IECC). It plans to urge voters across the state to contact their elected officials, attend rallies, host neighborhood meetings, write letters to editors and otherwise push specifically for approval of the Educational Choice Act proposed in House Bill 890.

"We want this coalition to give each parent a choice as to where their child can go to school. We want them [the parents] to have control over where they can send their kids to school," said Ralph Conner, co-chair of the IECC and representating the New Coalition for Social and Economic Change.

The IECC wants funding for schooling directed to parents instead of the geographical area in which they live. The Educational Choice Act (HB 890) would authorize a $1,000 scholarship certificate for each Illinois student from kindergarten through 12th grade, to be used at the public, private or parochial school of the parents' choice.

Membership, according to Hines, is limited to those who have a strong desire for educational choice. It welcomes all groups and individuals with a willingness to work together and share the common objective of "preserving each child's right to education."

Members of the IECC include New Coalition for Social and Economic Change, Illinois Advisory Committee, Agudath Israel, Catholic Conference of Illinois, Center for Rebuilding America's Schools, National Association for Personal Rights in Education, United Republican Fund, Grassroots Foundation, Family Coalition, The Heartland Institute, Lincoln Legal Foundation, People for Educational Choice, Independent Business Association of Illinois, Eagle Forum, Artists for Educational Choice, Association for Public Justice and The Cross Coalition.

Mayor Daley loses Welsh to Ameritech; Sher acting city counsel

Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley announced February 10 that first assistant corporation counsel Susan S. Sher of Chicago would take over as acting director of the city law department. She replaces longtime corporate Sher counsel Kelly R. Welsh, 40, who was appointed by Ameritech as vice president and associate general counsel, effective May 1. At his new job, Welsh will report to Thomas P. Hester, Ameritech executive vice president and general counsel.

Both Sher and Welsh had earlier been partners in the Chicago law firm, Meyer, Brown & Platt. She earned her law degree from Loyola University, Chicago, where she was an editor of the Loyola Journal. Before becoming first assistant corporation counsel for Chicago in May 1989, she was associate general counsel and director of labor and litigation at the University of Chicago.

Welsh is a graduate of Harvard Law School where he was an editor of its Law Review. He has been chief legal officer for Chicago since 1989.

Ten Chicago-area sixth through eighth grade teachers were selected for the 1993 Golden Apple Awards for excellence in the classroom. "All of the winners have a passionate commitment to teaching. They go beyond the call of duty to ensure their students get the best education possible," said Golden Apple Foundation spokesper-

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son Susan Miller. The winning teachers, chosen from more than 1,100 candidates, will receive their awards at a May 27 ceremony in Chicago.

Winners are: Janet S. Cosmos of Vernon Hills, who teaches literature and English at Maple School, Northbrook; Thomas J. Crofts of Grayslake, who teaches history and outdoor education at Lake Forest Country Day School, Lake Forest; Jacquelyn E. Crook of Dolton, who teaches library skills at Newberry Mathematics and Science Academy, Chicago; Nedra Desavieu of Chicago, science and reading teacher at John A. Sbarbaro Elementary School, Chicago; Griselle M. Diaz-Gemmati of Medinah, who teaches language arts and social studies at Norwood Park Elementary School, Chicago; Janice M. Gould of Northbrook, art teacher at Lawrence Hall Youth Services, Chicago; Judith G. Hanson of Naperville, music teacher at Eisenhower Junior High School, Darien; Adrienne J. Le Dree of Chicago, who teaches special education at Carver Middle School, Chicago; Jim Pudlewski of Crete, science teacher at James Hart Junior High School, Homewood; Elieen Zigman of Morton Grove, Spanish teacher at Wilmette Junior High School, Wilmette.

Each winner will receive a stipend of $2,500, a paid fall-term sabbatical to study tuition-free at Northwestern University and an IBM computer. Winners also take part in a number of professional seminars and join the Golden Apple Academy, an active organization composed of past Golden Apple winners.

NARAL names Harrigan executive director for Illinois affiliate

Kate Harrigan of Chicago become executive director of the Illinois affiliate of the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL), effective in late January. Since August she had worked for Illinois SANE/Freeze, the state's largest peace and disarmament group. During the recent presidential campaign, Harrigan worked for the Clinton/Gore team and for the Carol Moseley-Braun U.S. Senate campaign, acting as field organizer in DuPage County.

In her new post, Harrigan will serve the 3,500-member organization, which is "currently in the process of expanding its agenda

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to include not only abortion rights, but all aspects of reproductive freedom." Harrigan has a bachelor's degree from Boston College and a master's degree from John Hopkins University of Advanced Internationl Studies.

Chase new British Consul General at Chicago

Chase entered the British Diplomatic Service in 1965, and for the past three years he was head of the Resource Management Department in London. He gained experience in industry from 1980 to 1982 while attached as a manager to Imperial Chemical Industries PLC. His overseas diplomatic service includes Rangoon, Brasilia and Moscow; at the last he was commercial counsellor from 1985 to 1988. He also held posts in various departments of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London, including head of the Caribbean section, assistant head of the South American department, assistant head of the Maritime, Aviation and Environment Department and overseas inspector. He graduated from St. John's College, Oxford, with an MA in modern history.

Illinois Bell of Chicago won the Crime Prevention Award for its innovative program restricting the use of public telephones to deter illegal activities. The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce presented the award March 24.

Bell changed its usual coin-operated public phones in high crime areas to work only for persons using telephone credit cards, calling collect or dialing 911. Those limits are aimed at deterring the phone business of drug traffickers and gang members since they would not want a record of their phone calls. The restricted phones do not accepts coins between 7:30 p.m. and 4 a.m.

Geoff Potter, spokesperson for Illinois Bell said, "We shut the phones down from the central office. When you put your money in the slot, it falls to the bottom of the coin return." He also said that Illinois Bell had received a few complaints, but the only other alternative would be to take the phone system completely out. "Now the phones are back in the hands of the community," he said, "Not in the hands of drug dealers and criminals."

As of March 24 Illinois Bell reports it has placed the restriction on more than 500 public phones statewide. Its program is the first of its kind in the nation, drawing interest from police forces and telephone companies throughout the United States.

James Pollock with contributions from Charles Swearingen

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