The Pantagraph from Bloomington, Illinois • Page 1

II i( 88 pages, 5 sections LlPageD3L FRIDAY, January 21 2000 Bloomington-Normal, Illinois 50Cu 4-L fil Bid made to bypass By Knight Ridder Newspapers State Farm Insurance Cos. asked the state Supreme Court on Thursday to consider a direct appeal refuting a $1.2 billion circuit court decision in October against the insurer for knowingly using substandard parts in car repairs. It remains the largest award against a U.S. insurance company. The country's largest auto insurer, Bloom-ington-based State Farm wants to avoid the trip says, for state to "vigorously oppose" the motion.

"This case is so straightforward, I don't know why the state supreme court would ever consider it," said Michael B. Hyman, an attorney on the suit from the Chicago firm Much, Shelist, Freed, Denenberg, Ament Rubenstein. Hyman likened State Farm to "Chicken Little chirping that the sky is falling, and it hasn't, and it's not going to." State Farm officials say the decision already is costing them money. By using only repair parts made by original manufacturers, as the court ordered, the insurer says it is spending more on claims than it would Unforeseen gas price hike hits By Pantagraph staff A spike in gasoline prices this week is blamed on a knee-jerk reaction to a continued cut in crude oil production. Prices at Twin City stations on Thursday jumped to an average of $1.39 a gallon for self-serve unleaded regular gasoline, according to a survey of 12 stations an increase of more than 10 cents.

The move came just a day after the AAA Chicago Motor Club predicted a slight drop in prices. David Sykuta, executive director of the Illinois Petroleum Council, said the increase mainly is a reaction to the "unprecedented willingness of OPEC members to stick by their agreement" to cut production in order to raise the barrel price of crude oil. The price spike seems more significant to consumers because it follows the lowest barrel prices in years, he said. Crude oil demand is up worldwide, and the supply is much tighter than at this time last year, he said. Deana Blake, a spokeswoman for AAA Chicago Motor Club, said the OPEC agreement is "bound to drive up or keep high" gasoline prices, although industry watchers hope consumer prices settle.

"We do anticipate gasoline prices continuing to be high the rest of the year," she said. This week's jump "surprised everyone in the oil industry," she said. In mid-December, Twin City gas pumps listed an average price of $1.29 a gallon. The mid-November price was $1.24 a gallon. In Illinois, Sykuta said, about 55 cents of the gallon price is levied for various taxes.

In 1980, taxes accounted for 15 cents to 17 cents of the gallon price. Shawn Foss, Jamie Nelson and Julie Gerke "contributed information for this story. Clinton calls for expanded college aid WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) President Clinton proposed a $31 billion plan Thursday to make college education more affordable and upbraided Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott for suggesting that no major legislation would be enacted this election year. The centerpiece of the proposal was a $10,000 tax deduction to help millions of Americans pay for tuition, books and university fees.

"When we make college more affordable, we make the American dream more achievable," Clinton said. Joining Clinton for the White House announcement, on the first day of the last year of his presidency, were Hillary Rodham Clinton, who is running for the Senate from New York, and a fellow New York Democrat, Sen. Charles Schumer. "Some in Congress, I note, are saying that because this is an election year we really shouldn't try to do anything for the American people," Clinton said. "Nothing, not a national election or a Washington snowstorm, should get in the way of making a college education more affordable for all Americans." The president was referring to a comment Lott, made to reporters a day earlier.

Lott said "everyone needs to acknowledge there won't be a lot of time for big, new initiatives" on a shortened congressional calendar this year. Skeptics question whether the See COLLEGE, back page rm appellate court usual appeal process, which would include a to appellate court and take considerably more time. As long as the decision from Williamson County circuit court stands, the insurer consumers risk paying higher prices replacement parts, regulators are confused about how the decision meshes with laws, and the decision encourages class-action lawsuits. Lawyers for the plaintiffs vowed Thursday Li V- r- Thursday's total lunar eclipse provided an opportunity for local astronomers to shed light on the moon, with about 50 people showing up at the Bloomington Public Library for a program called "The Moon: Our Closest Neighbor in Space." The program offered the science behind lunar eclipses and a history of some of the myths associated with the moon, including the age-old yarn about the man in the moon. "It's easy to look at and it's up there most By BOB HOLLIDAY Pantagraph staff The value of McLean County just keeps on growing and growing and growing.

Total equalized assessed valuation for last year set a record at $2.35 billion. That's up from $2.21 billion in 1998 and $2.10 billion the year before that. McLean County Supervisor of Assessments Bob Kahman doesn't see an end to the upward trend, at least for the foreseeable future, and said the county is lucky to be growing as fast as it is. In McLean County, 74 percent of the 58,930 taxable parcels are residential, 18 percent farm and 8 percent commercial. The commercial parcels, however, make up 26 percent of the total value; the residential parcels make up 60 percent.

Industrial parcels account for less than 1 percent of total parcels and 1.5 percent of value. The county's 10,789 farm parcels represent 12 percent of total value. in brief the United Church of tures, the storm The PantagraphLLOYD YOUNG have by continuing to use generic, or so-called "after-market," parts made by other companies. The American Insurance Association estimates the industry saves $800 million a year by using generic parts. Two states, Hawaii and Massachusetts, require insurers to make generic parts available to policyholders to create competition for car manufacturers.

In November, State Farm expected repair parts expenses to total $267 million. Because See APPEAL, back page Total lunar eclipse Left: Melody Brudette of Bloomington lined up the family telescope to get a view of the lunar eclipse Thursday night, as she and others watched it outside the Bloomington Public Library. eclipsed "It looks really neat," said Gabriel Blin-derman, 13, of Bloomington about his first viewing of a lunar eclipse. "You look up and there's a chunk out of the moon." The event also provided an opportunity for one local science teacher to focus her students' attention on something they could see. Dee Hopper, an eighth-grade Earth sciences teacher at Chiddix Junior High School in Normal, attended the library program with about 10 of her stu- See MOON, back page of its high-residential growth areas because of the de-annexation lawsuit.

In Normal, new residential construction was $10.9 million, mostly on the north end of town in Pinehurst and Ironwood subdivisions. New commercial development totaled about $3.3 million and included office buildings and restaurants, said Normal township assessor Rob Cranston. While Unit 5 business manager Harold Dunham, whose school district will seek taxpayer approval for new school buildings in March, said growth is better than stagnation, he couldn't comment in more detail because he was unsure of the amount of growth in the specific townships from which Unit 5 draws its taxes. Meanwhile, Kahman said changes in 1999 assessments for Bloomington, Dale, Downs and Old Town townships will be published in Tuesday's Pantagraph. Assessment changes for the other 27 town- See ASSESS, back page Thursday numbers Thursday's conference sponsored by the McLean County Chamber of Commerce in Nor- Pick 3 1-019 2-283 Pick 4 1-3020 2-3755 Little Lotto 2 8 20 21 30 Jackpots Interest in lunar look rarely By MICHAEL FREIMANN Pantagraph staff The moon has always held a fascination for those on Earth.

As our nearest celestial neighbor, the glowing ball in the night sky has provided even novice skywatchers an opportunity to study the heavens. The moon also has given mankind many myths and has even been used to tell time, with the cycles of the moon accounting for the changing dates of Easter each year. McLean County, others see jump in assessments often," said Sandy McNamara, past president of the Twin City Amateur Astronomers in explaining the interest many people have in watching the moon. "In some cities, light pollution is such a big problem that you can barely see the stars, but you can always see the moon." About 20 of those attending the program took advantage of telescopes set up in the library parking lot despite temperatures in single digits to take a closer look at the eclipse, which reached totality shortly after 10 p.m. Besides the ever-increasing assessed valuation, a good illustration of growth, Kahman said, is the number of parcels the county gained last year: 1,050.

He said this is mostly farmland converted to residential and added, "I don't know anybody else growing at that rate." Not surprisingly, much of the growth is concentrated in the Twin Cities. Bloomington had $6.2 million in new commercial development, including several State Farm projects such as completion of the insurer's Oakland Avenue training facility; interior remodeling of its downtown Bloomington fire building; and a warehouse addition on Ireland Grove Road, said City of Bloomington Township Assessor Mike Ireland. Other commercial development included new apartment buildings, motels and restaurants. Ireland said the city also had $3.7 million in new residential construction scattered throughout existing subdivisions, and would have had more if it had not lost many All rise Assessments for counties in The Pantagraph area all showed increases from 1998 to 1999. While assessed value was up in part because of the quadrennial reassessment year in which all property is supposed to be reassessed, individuals' tax bills are determined by a combination of taxing bodies' tax levies and tax rates.

COUNTY 1998 1999 DeWitt $728.4 mjjlion $734.6 million Ford $170 million $182 million LaSalle $1.79 billion $1.89 billion Livingston $523.0 million $545.7 million Logan $349.8 million $370.4 million McLean $2.22 billion $2.35 billion Tazewell $1.55 billion $1.68 billion Woodford $496 million $541 million News Plenty of sunshine. Highs 20-26. Wind chills between 0 and 20 above zero. Details on back page. Members of Hey-worth have spent the last seven months rallying around their mal.

Story on Cl Abby D7 Business C1 Classified C6 Comics B7 Crossword D7 Entertainment D1 Horoscope D7 Obituaries A11 Opinion A14 Sports B1 wasn't followed by those biting winds that blow drifts. Story on A3 A man who authorities say was at the heart of a long-time Twin City cocaine ring is soon headed to prison. But whether Aaron Whigham will go to a federal or state penitentiary remains unclear. Story on A3 Jackie Stiles, the nation's leading scorer among Division I women, netted 33 points as Southwest Missouri State rolled past Illinois State, 80-46, at Redbird Arena. Story on Bl The need to retain employees and strategies to do so were the topics of Today's weather symbol was drawn by Michelle Penn, age 1 1 of Colene Hoose Elementary School, Normal.

BroMenn Follies 2000 Director Rick Fox says taking a cast of 100 amateurs and turning them into a musical comedy troupe is what he loves to do. In fact, in his position with Tulsa's SRO Productions, he visits up to five communities a year doing just that. The Follies runs Jan. 28 and 29 at the Scottish Rite Temple, in Bloomington. Story on Dl Lotto $4 million Big Game $20 million For the past week's winning numbers, call 829-9000, category 771 1 CITYLINE 829-9000 century-old church building.

The recently completed $250,000 renovation maintains the congregation's desire for a simple sanctuary. Story on-A2 Twin City residents saw a little bit of silver lining from the year's first snowstorm despite cold tempera ThefPantagraph CONNECTINQ CENTRAL ILLINOIS Pantagraph main phone number: (309) 829-9411 Save with home delivery Call 827-7323 or 1-800-747-7323 or e-mail circpantagraph.com The Pantagraph ffij uses recycled RL pap' a soy ink. Copyright 2000 Ttw Pantagraph PANTAGRAPH ONLINE www.AccessCentrallllinois.com.