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Edited by Jennifer Halperin

SHIFTS AT THE TOP

James Heiple has been selected for a three-year term as chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court.

In his new post, he carries supervisory authority over all Illinois courts.

Heiple, from Pekin, has faced controversy over the past couple of years. He received considerable criticism two years ago for his written opinion on the heavily publicized Baby Richard case. The case centered on a 4-year-old boy who was adopted at birth by a suburban couple. The boy was returned to his biological parents. His biological mother had given him up for adoption, but the father maintained he had not been informed of the child's birth.

Early this year, Heiple, 63, was arrested by Pekin police and pleaded guilty to disobeying a police officer and speeding. In exchange, charges of failing to yield to an emergency vehicle and resisting a peace officer were dropped.

Heiple's selection by his six fellow justices was criticized by Lt. Gov, Bob Kustra.

"I find today's actions by the Illinois Supreme Court astounding and unbelievable," he said. "The people of Illinois have better judgment and common sense than the person who will assume the seat as chief justice of the Illinois court in January 1997," he said. "This gives Illinois voters good reason to pay close attention to the future election of members to the Illinois Supreme Court and other judicial posts."

Heiple is serving a 10-year term.

CULTURAL HONORS

Poet Richard Wilbur and historian David Hackett Fischer were named winners of the 1996 Ingersoll Prizes from the philanthropic division of the Rockford- based Ingersoll Milling Machine Co. The prizes are administered by the nonprofit Rockford Institute, a conservative think tank dedicated to the revitalization of American culture.

Wilbur won the T.S. Eliot Award for Creative Writing, and Fischer received the Richard M. Weaver Award for Scholarly Letters. Each carries a cash prize of $20,000, and is meant to acknowledge authors whose works affirm the moral principles of Western civilization.

Wilbur is a poet, translator, Broadway lyricist and author of children's books. Fischer is a historian, the author of several books and a contributing editor to the Times Atlas of World History.

STATE WORKER PLEADS GUILTY IN CASE INVOLVING PUBLIC AID CONTRACTOR

As Illinois Issues went to press, James R. Berger, 41, a deputy director at the Illinois Department of Public Aid, was indicted on federal mail fraud charges stemming from an investigation of a politically connected state contractor.

Meanwhile, former state official Curtis G. Fleming, 45, admitted accepting cash and gifts from the contractor and helping the company win a huge financial windfall from public aid.

Fleming, of Bloomington, headed Public Aid's bureau of collections when the department renegotiated a contract with Springfield-based Management Services of Illinois in 1993. As part of the plea agreement, Fleming admitted he allowed MSI's contract to be written on terms unfavorable to the state.

He admitted creating false or misleading documentation to justify the new contract, which resulted in a 2,100 percent increase in state payments (from $370,000 to $8 million in one year) to the company. He admitted approving vouchers that allowed MSI to be paid twice for some work.

Fleming pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of misapplication of federal funds. He could face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the mail fraud charge and 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the other charge.

MSI owners Michael R. Martin, 42, of Springfield and William D. Ladd, 44, of Waverly were charged in August with mail fraud and other charges, as was Waverly resident Ronald D. Lewder. Lowder worked with Fleming in the bureau of collections at the time the public aid contract was renegotiated. Martin, Ladd and Lowder all have pleaded not guilty.

ILLINOIS TEACHER OF THE YEAR CHOSEN

Valeria Evans of Peoria has been named 1997 Illinois Teacher of the Year.

During the last three years of her 24-year teaching career, she has taught third grade at Northmoor Primary School in Peoria.

As part of the award, Evans will spend the second school semester traveling the state speaking to teacher workshops and conferences, parent organizations and civic, community and business groups. She also will receive a lifetime tuition waiver at state universities and a one-year paid leave to pursue graduate work.

Evans was honored in part for trying to incorporate reading into students' daily lives. She has children gather and read everything from T-shirt slogans to phone books to product labels.

Evans received her bachelor of science degree in education from Illinois State University in Normal.

Illinois Issues November 1996 / 39

UIS alumni honored

The University of Illinois at Springfield presented its first Outstanding Alumnus awards during the Home- coming celebration in late September. One graduate was selected from each of the university's four schools. The awards were given for distinguished contributions to a professional field.

William Lambrecht of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch won for the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Lambrecht, a national award-winning reporter who covers national politics and natural resource issues for the newspaper's Washington, D.C., bureau, received a master's degree in public affairs reporting from UIS in 1973. He has been honored for his stories on environmental issues, including a series on toxic waste dumping on Indian reservations, and has been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize several times.

Julia Barrow, who received a master's degree in environmental studies in 1981 was named winner for the School of Public Affairs and Administration. Barrow is the director of the Office of Federal Planning for a regional office of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, responsible for managing air quality plans for the state of California.

The winner from the School of Business and Management was Richard L. Adorjan, who in 1988 received a B.A. in management from the university He is director of public affairs for the state's Department of Transportation. In 1993, he won the Public Relations Society of America's top award, the Silver Anvil, for directing the community relations and communications program for the rehabilitation of the John F. Kennedy Expressway.

The winner for the School of Health and Human Services is Springfield Mayor Karen Hasara, a former state representative and senator who in 1972 received a bachelor's degree in psychology. Two decades later, in 1992, Hasara received a master's degree from UIS in legal studies.

Schools chief faces lawsuit

Supt. Joseph Spagnolo

State school superintendent Joseph Spagnolo, the Illinois State Board of Education and the board's new lawyer have been sued in federal court by the former general counsel to the board, Richard Coffee. The attorney claims he was fired for raising concerns about issues like Spagnolo's $15,000 annual housing allowance in Chicago. Coffee told the board the payment should have had deductions for federal taxes.

The allowance was granted because the 16-member state board of education wants Spagnolo to spend 40 percent of his time in the city. He lists Springfield as his primary residence and collects per diem payments when he is in Chicago. Spagnolo's current annual salary is $128,290.

Meanwhile, the board refused to disclose results of an audit of Spagnolo's expense reimbursements. It denied a Freedom of Information Act request from The State Journal-Register of Springfield, which had requested the audit and working papers of internal auditor Tammy Rust. The state board called for an audit of Spagnolo's expenses and reimbursements, as well as other financial issues, in August.

The audit falls under an exception to the Freedom of Information Act that protects communications between a public body and its attorney or auditor that would not have to be disclosed in court, materials prepared to defend a public body in court or "internal audits of public bodies," according to a letter from the board to the newspaper.

IRMA official promoted

The 23,000-member Illinois Retail Merchants Association has promoted Rob Karr from government relations manager to vice president of government and member relations.

Karr, who joined IRMA in 1994, will coordinate state government relations and lobbying activities in Springfield and edit the group's journal of legislative activity in the Statehouse. He will also have responsibility for membership development.

IRMA represents retailers of all sizes carrying all types of merchandise lines throughout Illinois.

Lawmaker ends re-election bid

State Rep. Benjamin A. Martinez, a Democrat from Chicago, withdrew his candidacy for the state House of Representatives from the 2nd District because of ill health.

Edward J. Acevedo ST., a Chicago policeman, was appointed to replace Martinez on the November 5 ballot.

Martinez, who has been a representative since 1986, will serve out the remainder of his term.

40 / November 1996 Illinois Issues

UIS chancellor elected trustee of academy

Naomi Lynn, chancellor of the University of Illinois at Springfield, has been elected a trustee of the National Academy of Public Administration in Washington, D.C. Lynn and the five other new trustees will begin serving three-year terms this month.

Founded in 1967, the academy's chief mission is to advise Congress, federal agencies, state and local governments and other public institutions on public management and administration. Lynn, who was elected to the academy in 1986, also serves on the board of directors of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. She has served on the executive council and as a trustee of the American Political Science Association.

She also is past president of Pi Sigma Alpha — the national political science honorary society — as well as the American Society for Public Administration and the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration.

PRISON EXPERTS CRITICIZED FOR FINANCIAL TIES

A five-member panel of "internationally known prison experts" convened to study Illinois' considerable prison problems has come under fire for members' ties to the Department of Corrections. The panel was appointed after officials heard a litany of complaints, including allegations that gangs were running the prisons and that some prisoners have engaged in sexual acts and drug use.

In addition, critics are questioning why the state is paying four panel members $800 a day for their work — with chairman Anthony Travisono, former executive director of the American Correctional Association, earning $1,000 daily.

Prison officials say it is not surprising that panel members, as experts in the field, have worked for the state's corrections department. They say the work does not represent a potential conflict of interest.

Travisano was paid by the state to evaluate its prison system during the 1980s, The panel's vice chairwoman, Bobbie Huskey, was up for a contract with the department to help construct a long-term operations plan, the Chicago Tribune reported in early October. That work, which could take up to six months, would pay her about $800 per day.

Panel member Robert Brown is being paid by the department to ensure it complies with a federal court order concerning operations at Pontiac Correctional Center. Last year the agency paid him nearly $11,000. Panel member Norman Carlson, who once directed the Federal Bureau of Prisons, has been paid for helping the state with lawsuits against the department. The panel's fifth member, Thomas Coughlin III, is former director of the New York state prison system and apparently has no prior financial ties to Illinois' system.

"You cannot hope to get an independent, objective report from a panel that is being paid by the people they're reviewing," Democratic Rep. Louis Lang of Skokie told Illinois Issues. "The likelihood of the report being objective is minimal under these circumstances. We have many boards and commissioners appointed by state government. I have no idea why these people are being paid."

GOVERNOR RECONVENES HORSE RACING PANEL

Players in the state's horse racing industry say recent changes in state law meant to revitalize the sport in Illinois have backfired, serving instead to reduce the amount of money wagered on Illinois races. The changes, enacted last year, expanded the number of off-track betting parlors and allowed for simulcasting of races from around the world. Rather than encourage bets on Illinois races, more money was wagered on those outside the state.

Lawmakers are looking at what changes now should be made in the state's gaming laws, and a report is expected by year's end.

Horse racing groups argue riverboat casinos have taken a huge toll on their profits.

At the same time, Gov. Jim Edgar asked his horse racing panel to reconvene to review the new law in an effort to keep the industry strong. The panel is chaired by Chicago attorney James M. Kane.

Illinois Issues November 1996 / 41