The Pantagraph from Bloomington, Illinois • Page 3

www.pantagraph.com The Pantagraph Saturday, March 16, 2002 A3 CENTRAL ILLINOIS Daily ispefti debate; erne a bsent Ryan tig ASSOCIATED PRESS Attorney general stumps with mate in Bloomington 1 'i said the fact that there was a federal investigation did not stop the attorney general in his "very high publicity gun sting operation that actually interfered with an ongoing federal investigation." O'Malley and Wood did, however, remind viewers of differences they have with each other. Wood reiterated her abortion-rights position and O'Malley discussed his opposition to abortion. But even then, Ryan was not far away. "He's tried to be all things to all people," said O'Malley of the attorney general. Wood and O'Malley also disagreed on the moratorium the governor imposed on executions in the state.

Wood said she would not reinstate the death penalty "until I'm convinced the system is fair and equal for everyone." O'Malley said he would reinstate the death penalty as quickly as possible. He said the governor did not have the right to impose the moratorium, which he called "nothing more than a moratorium of the rights of victims." On the Democratic side, the candidates seemed to find much to agree on, such as their support for the death penalty as well as the continuing the moratorium on executions, and a highspeed rail system. There was disagreement over the prospect of borrowing hundreds of millions of dollars to weather the state's current budget crisis. U.S. Rep.

Blagojevich and Vallas, the nities across the state. Their campaign is titled "On the Road to a Stronger Illinois" and includes stops in Peoria, Morton and Champaign. Ryan and Hawkinson, a republican candidate for lieutenant governor, are running on a platform of experience 1 and integrity Their emphasis is education, health care, jobs and public safety Ryan also has promised to hold the line on taxes and to reduce state spending. "I want to make sure you have a governor you're proud of and who gets results," said Ryan. "The most important thing we should do is work together." Ryan faces Patrick O'Malley and Corinne Wood in Tuesday's primary election.

Hawkinson faces William O'Connor. Ryan is a former DuPage County prosecutor currently in his second term as attorney general. By Kevin Simpson PANTAGRAPH STAFF BLOOMINGTON Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan will work hard to restore confidence in state government if he's elected to the governor's post, the Republican said during a campaign stop in Bloomington Friday night. Voters should make their voting decisions based on "fact-based" judgments rather than negative campaign ads, Ryan said while speaking at a St. Patrick's Day party hosted by state Rep.

Dan Brady, R-Bloomington. "I will tell you I'll work hard if I win," Ryan said. "We want to do everything we can to get our message out." Ryan, accompanied by his running-mate, state Sen. Carl Hawkinson, was in Bloomington as part of a two-day tour that includes stops in 14 commu CHICAGO With Jim Ryan absent, Republican candidates ratcheted up the rhetoric during a debate Friday about what the attorney general knew about Illinois' license-for-bribes scandal and when he knew it. Meanwhile, the Democrats tried not always successfully to differentiate themselves from each other on issues such as the budget crisis and the death penalty The candidates Democrats Paul Val-las, Rod Blagojevich and Roland Burris and Republicans Corinne Wood and Patrick O'Malley appeared in two half-hour debates scheduled to air on Chicago's WBBM-TV on Sunday.

"The truth of the matter is he (Ryan) doesn't want to answer the questions because the answers hurt," said O'Malley, a state senator from Palos Park, who raised allegations this week that the attorney general chose to ignore the scandal. "I think we know why Mr. Ryan isn't" here," said Wood, the lieutenant governor. She, like O'Malley, saved her most impassioned words for the front runner in the campaign. "He can't defend his record and that's unfair to the voters." Ryan, who has not attended a number of debates, has said his office didn't take action because there was already a federal investigation into the scandal that has dogged Gov.

George Ryan. But the candidates said that explanation doesn't wash. Wood, for example, SI casino licenses up for bid. Burris, a former state attorney generi al, dismissed those suggestions. "You-i can't generate enough money to solve.) the problem right now," he said.

"There's an immediate crisis." i former chief of the Chicago public schools, said they don't support borrowing money. Both he and Vallas said there are ways the state could save money, from a suggestion to streamline Medicaid by Blagojevich to Vallas' call to put 'vf Parks to alter hiring I practice: By Steve Arney PANTAGRAPH STAFF Police search for armed robber BLOOMINGTON A Bloomington convenience store was robbed at gunpoint Friday night. A black male wearing a blue ski mask entered the Freedom Oil station at South Main and Lincoln streets at 7:55 p.m. The man displayed a silver, semi-automatic pistol and fled with an undisclosed amount of cash. A police dog tracked the suspect's scent to a location about a block away.

Police believe the suspect then got into a car and left the area. The suspect is about 6 feet 4 inches tall with a thin build. He was wearing blue jeans and a gray sweatshirt. Anyone with information may phone Bloomington police at (309) 434-2360. Police, others invited to bioterror broadcast BLOOMINGTON Local law enforcement and public safety officials are invited to a two-hour broadcast Thursday on combating bioterror-ism.

The program is locally hosted by McLean County Sheriff Dave Owens. The broadcast, which will be at the McLean County Health Department, will address regional plans, agency coordination for long-term threats and how to deal with immediate cataclysmic situations. Officials interested in attending the program should call Owens at (309) 888-5034. Beech Street closed for patching NORMAL Beech Street between Willow Street and College Avenue will be closed to through traffic from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday. City workers will complete pavement patching associated with a new water main, according to an announcement by the Town of Normal. Professor to speak on media, perceptions NORMAL A UCLA English professor will examine perceptions and forms of expression in electronic media and communication during a presentation at Illinois State University. Katherine Hayles will speak on "How Sex Lost Its Body" at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Old Main Room of Bone Student Center.

It is part of ISU's yearlong, campuswide Leading Edge theme program that examines the effect of technology on education, science, the arts and everyday life. Spring play party to benefit charity BLOOMINGTON Proceeds from an Easter-themed play party will benefit the United Way of McLean County The party will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 29 at Let's Party, 16 Currency Drive, Bloomington. It will include an egg hunt, coloring contest, arts and crafts and a raffle.

Donations will benefit the United Way. The party is the brainchild of Laurie Graham, who has been hosting a playtime at Let's Party every Wednesday with the help of company owner Steve Leskovisek. Setting it right Election 2002 Voters in Bloomington precincts 3 and 4 cast ballots at the Bloomington Township Building on Fox Creek Road. Friday's Election 2002 section listed incorrect voting places. I Livingston County Board candidate James Jones is a retired printer.

Another board candidate, Bob Jones, served two terms as Livingston County sheriff in the 1980s. Their occupations were incorrect in Election 2002. i Livingston Bob McCarty, who is running for Livingston County sheriff, said he would like to see another officer as signed to the department's detective division. One of his opponents, Marie Margherio, said she wanted to see the position of captain in the detective division used elsewhere in the department Their stands were unclear in Election 2002. Livingston A referendum asking Otter Creek Township residents whether they want to join Streator's 911 emergency telephone system was rescinded after Election 2002 went to press.

The PantagraphSTEPHANIE OBERLANDER Jeff Otto, of Normal, volunteered his time to decorate the Knights of Columbus hall in Bloomington with shamrocks and balloons Friday morning. Otto was decorating for a political party that would be held there Friday as well as St. Patrick's Day festivities this weekend. B-N readies for St. Patrick's Day group will host a tent party at 1706 R.T.

Dunn Drive, Bloomington, with a dinner of corned beef, cabbage and potatoes, traditional Irish music and dancers, and green beer and Guinness. "This should be our biggest St. Patrick's Day celebration," says Tim Brady, an officer at the of C. "It's open to anybody and gives people a chance to enjoy Irish heritage." Brady said the sheer fun of St. Patrick's Day separates it from other holidays.

"This holiday doesn't involve in-laws or running from here to there. St. Patrick's Day is relaxing and free with no worries." In the Twin Cities, St. Patrick's Day almost always occurs when college students are on spring break so many bars have a slightly different atmosphere. "We see a lot more people come out who we don't normally see year-round," said Mickey Bardwell, manager of Kil-larney's Irish Pub, 523 N.

Main Bloomington. The holiday is "by far our biggest day" The Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization, will celebrate its 50th year of celebrating St. Patrick's Day with its first two-day event. From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

today and Sunday, the "It's a fun holiday that doesn't interfere with any religious beliefs and everyone is out for a good time," says Mike Hill, co-owner of Maguire's Restaurant and Pub, 220 N. Center Bloomington. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, credited with founding hundreds of churches and converting thousands to Christianity during the fifth century. He is believed to have died on March 17. i St.

Patrick's Day traditionally is a religious occasion in Ireland. In America, it is celebrated by people of all backgrounds. Parades began in New York City on March 17, 1762. By Mark Harris PANTAGRAPH STAFF BLOOMINGTON It's time for green beer and corned beef and cabbage. Many local restaurants and bars are turning Sunday's St.

Patrick's Day into a weekend-long celebration filled with food, live Irish music and green beer. "It's the pinnacle weekend for this kind of partying," said Dennis Stevenson, manager of Ben-nigan's Restaurant and Bar, Veterans Parkway, Normal, which hosts an annual tent party At other Irish-themed bars, the holiday is a celebration for everyone. BLOOMINGTON The parks department will stop hiring peo-' pie who are younger than 16 rather than risk a federal labor violation, said Parks and Recreation Director Keith Rich. The department recently paid an $8,100 fine to the U.S. Department of Labor for allowing young lifeguards to work too i many hours.

Teen-agers younger than 16 are limited hi the number of hours they can work in a week, and the parks department did not properly monitor those hours, Rich ac- knowledged. -1 He said an end to the practice of hiring 15-year-old lifeguards will ensure no repeat viola tions. No one was suspended of fired over the error, Rich The federal child labor law-prohibits workers age 14 and 15! from working more than eight hours in a day and more than 40; hours a week when school is out of session in most The limit is three hours a day; and 18 hours a week when! school is in session. Rich said the problem with! summer lifeguard hours was discovered during a routine check of the city's books by the labor department. A letter from the department described the time period checked as Nov.

8, 1999, to Nov. 28, 2001. The federal department also found the parks department in' violation for failure to pay overtime to temporary workers, it said the city underpaid 14 employees a total $8,078, and ordered back pay for the employees. The overtime situation involved temporary employees; working at the summer daf; camp at Miller Park. Rich said the parks ment believed the city was exs empt from paying them overi." time and, therefore, it did no; There are work assignments for.

which the city is exempt. Temporary employees work! ing at swimming pools are noi; entitled to overtime pay they are at a facility that is" closed much of the year. Rich said the exemption applies to facilities open fewer than seven months of the year. The parks department applied the same rule to the eight-week summer day camp program. Rich said the government ruled that the day camp workers-do get overtime pay because the.

facility Miller Park is open; all year. No fine was issued on the overtime issue. He said the city decided against fighting the rulings or appealing the fine, which was; issued about a month ago. Contested surgery key part of hospital's budget "We have to be prepared to support bariatric surgery, but if it is stopped, how does that affect the budget?" Ouentin Hovland Dr. John Warner Hospital board member lose $110,000 in Medicaid funding as a result of state budget cuts.

Expenses of $11.3 million will bring the budget nearly to the break-even point. Expenses include a 3 percent wage hike for employees. The hospital will receive $65,000 less from the city next year Under an agreement between the board and city council to reduce the $400,000 in city tax money that goes to the hospital. The budget will be presented to the full hospital board at its meeting next Wednesday. Although bariatric surgery plays a significant role in the hospital's budget, the program is not without controversy The board has hired Dr.

Kenneth Printen of Northwestern University in Evanston to survey the surgical department's ability to perform bariatric and related procedures. The surgery involves reducing the size of a patient's stomach. Members of the local medical staff have publicly opposed offering the procedures because they say the hospital is not equipped to handle post- By Edith Brady-Lunny PANTAGRAPH CORRESPONDENT CLINTON Eliminating bariatric surgery at Dr. John Warner Hospital in Clinton could throw the break-even budget out of balance. The hospital's finance committee on Friday reviewed the fiscal 2003 budget.

Revenues and expenses will balance around $11 million. The controversial surgical program for morbidly obese patients could generate $589,000 net revenue after expenses of about $200,000. The hospital has no plan to replace that revenue if it stops offering the surgery. The budget projects $14.2 million in revenue from patient services next year. That is an increase of 9 percent from the current year.

About $600,000 of the increase is attributed to the addition of Dr. Robert Butts to the hospital's Rural Health Center. Much of that revenue will be offset by $3.7 million in writeoffs for Medicare, Medicaid and managed-care contracts, said financial officer Donna Wisner. The hospital expects to gical volume at Warner has been dropping over the past several years. Interim hospital administrator Sally Waite said the surgical area may present marketing opportunities for the hospital.

The hospital may attempt to recruit more surgeons, said Waite. Hovland noted that questions on the bariatric program will remain until the consultant's review is complete. No date has been set for the report. The hospital should be prepared to consider any recommendations Printen makes, said Hovland. "The consultants won't come in and say everything's wonderful," he said.

operative complications. Dr. Sidney Rohrscheib performs the surgeries. He recently estimated that he has performed 50 bariatric procedures during the past year and has 40 more patients in the process of scheduling the procedure. "We have to be prepared to support bariatric surgery," said board member Quentin Hovland, "but if it is stopped, how does that affect the budget?" No specific plan has been developed to replace the revenue generated by bariatric surgery, Wisner said.

Department managers "would look at the whole surgery department to see why other surgeries have been dropping off," Wisner said. Statistics indicate that sur.