Readers:
For political junkies, nothing beats an election year, full of discussion about the future and prognostications about who will win, and by how much.

Last month we reported in-depth about the major races facing Illinoisans. This month we decided to explore a unique aspect of this year's contests — the health of several high- profile candidates and to what extent these health issues ought to be publicized. Many of us probably would agree that people in public life maintain some right to privacy. But where is the line drawn when a person's health might adversely affect his or her public performance? Find out what some leading Illinois officials and journalists believe. The article is on page 14.

I hope you noticed in Illinois Issues earlier this year that we're getting ready to observe our 20th anniversary in 1995. This is an important milestone for us. To be considered the leading public affairs magazine in Illinois is a responsibility we take seriously. Each month we try to keep you up to date on the major issues in Illinois, and we offer a variety of articles and opinions to cover a broad spectrum of public affairs topics.

One way we'll celebrate our anniversary is to host a reception March 2, 1995, in the Chicago Cultural Center. If you would like to attend, mark your calendar now. Tickets, priced very modestly, will go on sale early next year. A highlight of the reception will take place when we honor 10 people with the Illinois Issues Award for Extraordinary Public Service. Our readers have nominated scores of worthy candidates, and it will not be easy for our Selection Committee to omit some of the nominees from the final list of 10. But it will be interesting, and we'll be announcing the winners in the near future.

I am delighted that the Illinois Business Roundtable has agreed to sponsor our anniversary celebration. This organization of leading Illinois corporate chief executives has a wonderful reputation, and we feel honored by the Roundtable's recognition of the significance of our 20th anniversary.

I am a baseball fan, which is only one reason I particularly like the profile of Gene Callahan in this issue (see page 17). Callahan, the former aide to Paul Simon and Alan Dixon, is the lobbyist for Major League Baseball in Washington, D.C. How important his job has become, now that the turmoil of this strike-shortened season has Congress buzzing about the possibility of taking away Major League Baseball's antitrust exemption. That's another reason the article is so appealing, and timely. But mostly, it is appealing because Callahan is a fascinating man with loads of experience in the political world and a deep passion for baseball. And it's appealing because the article is well-crafted by Kathy Best, who covers the Washington scene for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. It's an article you don't want to skip.

Finally, our Statehouse bureau chief, Jennifer Halperin, has spent more time in Chicago to find out why some African-American leaders believe the restoration of Black Metropolis is so important. This project is an innovative way to approach the urban problems of poverty and decay — by looking at long-term development rather than just dealing with day-to-day crises. This article about black entrepreneurship is on page 21.