Southern Illinoisan from Carbondale, Illinois • Page 3

i 1 Carbondale-Herrin-AAurphysboro-Marion SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1983 Page Three Jabr mum abou rice for Dm Quoin State Fat By Cathy A. Monroe I Of The Southern lllinoisan Du Quoin State Fair president Sa- leh S. Jabr today declined to put a price tag on the fair or to name any prospective buyers. I However, Jabr did say his family invested considerably more in the fair than the $2.3 million pur- chase price, including approximately $1 million in improvements the first I year. Jabr, who had said in a September owned fair since last January, when her divorce from Saad Jabr became final.

Mrs. Jabr owns the fair in equal shares with her four sons, and "we all voted," Saleh Jabr said. "That's the way we handle things." The family's main concern was avoiding a break in the fair's continuity, Jabr said. A Feb. 1 sale deadline was set to give new owners time to negotiate contracts with entertainers.

Jabr said he was dealing with local buyers primarily to hasten the sale. Although Jabr flatly declined to name prospective buyers, he did say that Anheuser-Busch brewery of St. Louis was not among them. Jabr did say he would be willing to stay on as a fair consultant, if asked. Jabr said his mansion on the fairgrounds was not a part of the sale package, but that he would be willing to consider separate offers for its purchase.

The family also sold its interests in the Du Quoin State Bank in October for $7,775,000. But Jabr says both he and other family members still have "various investments" in Southern Illinois and plan to make their homes in the area. Jabr said the fair made money from an operating standpoint during its last 11-day run. However, the overall profit picture still is in the red when losses from previous years are carried forward, he said. He anticipated the losses would be erased within another two to three years.

The Du Quoin State Fair, which Jabr describes as one of three privH tely owned fairs in the nation, was established by the Hayes family of Du Quoin, which reclaimed the are from strip mine spoils over the previous century. The Jabrs bought the property in 1979 in a flurry of investments that included the purchase of Air Illinois and the Du Quoin State Bank. The family sold its interests in Air Illinois in April 1982. Prospective buyers sought locally interview that he had no intention of selling the fair, explained the turnaround as "basically a family decision." Jabr said his mother, Jean Jabr of Carbondale, had been thinking about selling her shares in the family- asking Regional News Bond 1 1 mm at may snag 'thM APsm, conf ereoce By Dave DeWitte Of The Southern lllinoisan Another thorny problem has snagged Carbondale's downtown conference center project, this time a legislative one. Proposed legislation limiting the amount of tax-exempt industrial revenue bonds municipalities may issue could prevent the city from using that financing vehicle for a proposed Holiday Inn and conference center in connection with a downtown redevelopment project.

Developer Stan Hoye has requested the city issue industrial revenue bonds for the project in order to gain interest rates necessary to make the project feasible. The facilities are expected to require million in construction financing, more than the city would be authorized to finance with industrial revenue bonds based on its population. House Bill 4170, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Dan Rostenkowski, D-Chicago, was a major topic of discussion in a 90-minute closed-door meeting of the Carbondale City Council Tuesday night.

City Manager Bill Dixon said the discussion was held in closed session because of the possible impact of the bill "on the advisability" of the city's further land acquisition efforts downtown. The city is facing a Dec. 15 deadline to act on options for the purchase of property needed for the project. Dixon said no decision was made on the future of land acqusi-tion for the project, but the council agreed to reconvene in executive session Monday to consider options. In its most recent form, the bill would have an effective date of Jan.

1, 1984, even if it is not passed until later in the year, Community Development Director Don Monty said. "Because of the retroactive nature of the bill, no bond counsel is willing to risk saying the bonds are going to be tax-free," he said. Southern lllinoisan photo by RICHARD CARTER Mrs. Allen Winthrop holds coal slurry that has leaked onto her husband's land Farmer urges state to clean up sludge Battle of No. 9 No.

9 getting more lots of self-help' By Vince Hoffard Southern lllinoisan Correspondent Last in a series For years, residents of the tiny No. 9 community had to live in jungle conditions. However, thanks largely to a two-year-old public interest group, things are slowly changing. I Because many of the lots in the Williamson County ghetto region were abandoned by their original owners and another large tract of land has been deserted by the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad, a high percentage of the property is not controlled by the curent residents. Tired of watching the foliage grow out of control, the predominately black community is striking back.

Banding together to form the nonprofit No. 9 Community Development Corp. (C.D.C.) in 1981, residents have been cleaning up the unincorporated town. William Perkins, a C.D.C. member, said motivating the county and railroad to clean up their share of the land has been hard.

But the railroad claims it is not responsible for abandoned property, Perkins said, and that property separates No. 9 from Colp. Willie Neal, C.I.C. vice president, said the railroad track was permitted to grow up into trees and bushes as "the iron curtain used to separate No. 9 from the 'good' community of Colp.

(That way) you couldn't see Ma Hatchett's place from Colp and the Colp residents could act like it wasn't there." Ma Hatchett's was an infamous house of prostitution that operated in No. 9 more than 20 years ago. A complex problem at No. 9, Neal said, is legally making the county clean up the property it owns. "The county takes control of the abandoned lots when the owners fail to pay property taxes.

Then it is the responsibility of the county to maintain its property," Neal said. "County law says it is illegal to have weeds over 12 inches tall on your property, but some owned by the county hasn't been maintained for years." Open wells and mine vents pose another serious problem, Neal said. No. 9 was a company mine camp for blacks who worked in the nonunion Madison Coal Corp. mine until it close 50 years ago.

Several open wells and cisterns remain. "There are at least 150 of these still in No. 9," Neal said. "They are extremely dangerous. If a person falls in one, there is no way out.

I'd like to see them capped or filled before someone drowns." The Greater Egypt Regional Planning and Development Commission recommended to the Williamson County Board in January that a $833,334 Community Development Assistance Program grant be sought for a sewer system, housing rehabilitation, filling and capping wells, removal and clearing of blighted structures, a community building, road improvements, drainage and administrative costs. The request was for $750,000 in grant funds and local matching funds of $83,334. The board instead applied for just for the sewer system and the state said no. Since No. 9 is not a town legally, president of the No.

9 group Unis Davis said, it has no taxing power. "For 50 years, residents of No. 9 which Mines and Minerals is going is too slow." Pittman said it becomes a question of whether the state is willing to back up reclamation rules with "aggressive enforcement action." Medvick noted Mines and Minerals has ordred Midland to raise the levee around the slurry pond to prevent any further slurry runoff onto Winthrop's property. "There's no slurry running onto his property now," Medvick said. Winthrop agreed the problem seems to have eased but said he's still concerned about the toxic effects of slurry that's already drained into nearby creeks.

He expressed fears toxic water might eventually get into water supplies. Medvick said he understand Winthrop's concern but the state believes it's taken measures to control the runoff while the permit question is worked out. Winthrop still maintained he's getting little cooperation from the state: "They don't even want to get together on this." Medvick said the state isn't ignoring Winthrop but time must be allowed for regulatory procedures to be followed. Pittman also said Illinois South wants to ensure that Winthrop is fully informed of the complicated regulatory process. "If that's your property, you certainly have a right to have a say in what's going to happen to it," Pittman said.

The money is intended to ensure cleanup of the site once the operation closes. But Medvick said talk about using bond money for a cleanup is premature. "Nobody has any valid basis for discussing bond money at this point," Medvick said. Medvick pointed out Midland already had been issued two cessation orders because of the improper slurry discharges and for failure to have a proper sediment pond. On Nov.

22, Medvick said, an order was issued ordering Midland to "show cause" why its operating permit shouldn't be suspended. Medvick said Midland has 21 days in which to ask for a hearing. "If we suspend or revoke the permit we would then request the bond," Medvick said. Winthrop contends, however, the permit never should have been issued in the first place. He also argued that the bond forfeiture procedure takes too long.

He's received support in his position from the Herrin-based Illinois South Project. "We're not convinced you have to have a 'show said Illinois South staff member Steve Pittman. Pittman said Illinois South also considers the Winthrop problem a precedent-setting case for future enforcement of coal reclamation rules. "We're not saying Mines and Minerals is totally wrong," Pittman said. "We believe the pace at By Tim Landis Of The Southern lllinoisan Allen Winthrop has been watching sludge and water from a shutdown coal reclamation operation drain onto his Elkville farm for a couple of months.

He wants the state to act now to clean up the mess. But the state agency responsible for the cleanup says it can't move any faster than regulations allow. Midland Energy Co. of Dowell started a coal reclamation operation in the fall of 1982 on property adjacent to the Winthrop farm, according to the Illinois Department of Mines and Minerals active mines reclamation office in Marion. From the start Midland encountered difficulties meeting permitting regulations, said Chuck Medvick, supervisor of the Marion office.

When the reclamation operation shut down in October, according to Winthrop, a coal slurry pond was left behind. Sludge and toxic water have been draining onto the Winthrop property. "It was a poorly made slurry pond," Winthrop said, "It's already damaged my property." Winthrop estimated three acres of land, valued at $1,200 an acre have been damaged by an overflow of sludge and toxic water from the slurry pond. What Winthrop wants is for Mines and Minerals to release $170,000 in bond money put up by Midland before it began operation. Shaw: Educational surtax would also boost economy center However, other avenues of tax-exempt financing may be available.

One possibility suggested by city officials is that the state may be willing to use its bonding authority to issue the bonds. The most favorable option from the standpoint of city officials might be the rewording of proposed legislation to postpone the effective date of the legislation until the date of final passage by Congress. City officials will be looking at various options which might allow the project to move forward, Dixon indicated, but for the moment, there appears to be no simple solution to the problem. In other business, the council approved the sale of $2.25 million in general obligation bonds for water and sewer improvements to a Livingston, N.J.-based investment group at a total annual interest cost of slightly over 10 percent. Marlin Mo-seby, bond underwriter, called bidding for the bonds "very aggressive," noting that every major bank in Illinois bid the issue.

Payments on principal will begin in 1986 and end in 2004. The council decided in October to issue the bonds after being denied federal Jobs Act funding of $155,000 for an 18-inch-diameter water main loop and $95,000 for a sewer interceptor to serve developments in the vicinity of the Giant City Road extension. Other projects which will be financed include water lines to serve West Willow Street ($300,000) the West Park Plaza Shopping Center ($40,000) and North Illinois Avenue About $500,000 in bond proceeds will go to finance acquisition of Murdale Water District lines. Although water and sewer revenues will be used to retire the bonds, city officials said general obligation bonds provided a less costly method of financing than revenue bonds in the current bond market. opment," Shaw said.

The education surtax could help fill that resource gap, he suggested. In other business, the IBHE Tuesday approved an $86,145 grant for Southern Illinois University-Car-bondale's Morris Library, to continue adding bibliographic or index records to the state's library computer system. Kenneth G. Peterson, dean of library affairs, said the grant that was just approved will be used mainly to computerize records of serials and periodicals. A grant application of $81,000 for next year should complete the records computerization project, if it is approved, he added.

The IBHE also approved two new degree programs for SIU-C: an associate degree program in aviation flight and a master's degree program in telecommunications. Shaw called the programs "solid," and said the university has "wanted to launch them for some time. I'm delighted to get them approved." The programs are to be instituted in Fall 1984. Ben Shepherd, associate vice-president of academic affairs and research, said the telecommunications program grew out of the old hybrid public visual communications program offered through the cooperation of the radio and television and cinema and photography departments. Those two departments also will be cooperating to offer the new program, which is a "program for the future," Shepherd said.

The check had been routinely deposited and filed by city employees, and council members all said they had not been aware of the check before Jonesboro announced a similar gas refund to its customers this month. The $58,604 is being returned along with interest it has accumulated. Council members said if the calculations do not prove to be correct, another adjustment will be made in a later month's bills. Regional Roundup By Ann Schottman Knol Of The Southern lllinoisan Southern Illinois University Chancellor Kenneth Shaw is urging the Illinois Board of Higher Education to support institution of an education surtax. Such a tax would help strengthen both education and Illinois' econony, Shaw said.

Higher education has fallen behind in funding over the past decade, and "that is not a good thing, if one really believes that economic development is tied to a strong educational system." Shaw, citing an editorial in The Southern lllinoisan, told the IBHE Tuesday that money from a permanent education surtax could be Used for all levels of education and that is an initiative that we ought to get behind." The Southern lllinoisan editorial suggested the education surtax could be implemented by extending the temporary state income tax surcharge passed by the General Assembly last spring. That surtax .5 percent on personal income and .8 percent on corporate income is due to expire July 1, 1984. People will support tax money for education if there is educational reform, and SIU has been instituting reforms such as program review, improving general programs, teacher education review, and admission standards review. SIU has been "meeting our part of the bargain: reform is occurring. But reform resources leaves us short of being helpful in economic devel Carterville OKs cable transfer By Joan Viering Southern lllinoisan Correspondent The city of Carterville Tuesday became the third community to approve the transfer of ownership of Southern Illinois Cable TV to Tele-Communications Inc.

The city council approved the transfer by a 4-3 vote. Council approval was necessary before the transaction was completed, according to City Clerk Larry Wimp. The basic subscription rate will increase from $7.95 per month to however, the higher rate will not become effective until the cable system is upgraded, he added. Mayor Frank Samuel said Jan. 1 was the tentative date for the closing of the sale.

Within one year from the closing, TCI officials said the company will have upgraded the present cable system from 16 to 21 channels. The $3 increase is necessary to help upgrade the cable system and to provide a standard converter device to subscribers. In addition, the ordinance states that TCI will extend service to Carterville residents within the current city limits within 18 months after the closing date of the sale. City council members added a penalty clause to the contract. The clause states that TCI can be fined $200 per day if the cable services are not met within 18 months of the closing date of the sale.

TCI officials and Vicki Bates, manager of Southern Illinois Cable TV, met Monday in Herrin with mayors from the nine cities covered by the cable service. Marion loses one office, gains another Marion will lose its Regional Illinois Job Service office. But but gain an unemployment claims office. Mayor Robert Butler figures it's an even trade. Butler received a letter Monday from the Illinois Bureau of Employment Security, informing the city of the agency's decision to move the Marion regional office to Mount Vernon.

Marion will retain its Job Service office for locating jobs, as well as the new unemployment insurance service. Marion area residents may now file unemployment claims or sign up for available jobs at the single office, 1206 N. Court. Swinford considering resigning Herrin Mayor Don Swinford, whose term does not expire until May 1985, said Tuesday he is considering resigning the office because of personal and political reasons. Swinford said, "You never get away from the job day or night" and the duties as mayor are a hindrance to "a productive day's work" at his private accounting office.

He also said the election of three new aldermen last spring were changes "not for the better." Sesser man charged in pre-death beatings A 35-year-old Sesser man, the only suspect in beatings of Mary V. Furlow of Sesser nine days before she died of internal bleeding Nov. 29, has been charged with three counts of assault. Terry Eubanks of 605 W. Matthews in Sesser was held in lieu of $40,000 bond in the Franklin County jail after his arrest Tuesday.

"With the evidence we have, these are the most serious charges we could bring," Franklin County State's Attorney Terry Green said. Two pathology reports called massive internal bleeding the cause of death, but neither stated conclusively that the beatings caused internal bleeding because there were ulcers, existing internal damage from alcohol abuse and prescription drugs which could have the side effect of causing or aggravating internal bleeding. That combination of factors prevented charging Eubanks with homicide, Sesser Police Chief Spike Witcher said. Murdale announces water disruption Murdale Water District customers on the west edge of Carbondale will soon begin experiencing temporary daytime service disruptions due to the connection of district lines to the city of Carbondale. City officials plan to announce the disruptions, which will not last more than a few hours.

Work is expected to begin within two weeks. have been paying (county) taxes and haven't received any services except a little road grading and ditch work." Davis said it was "extremely upsetting" that the county ignored a small grant request to clean up No. 9: "The county has a $3.5 million surplus and all I am asking for is $5,000. "The board is receiving pressure from other small communites in the county. if it gives us $5,000, it would have to give them the same amount.

I think (it should), especially if they have the problems we do." The No. 9 community isn't standing still, waiting for a handout. Spearheaded by Perkins, who bought a used tractor and bushhog out of his own pocket, residents are gradually cleaning up the area. They dump garbage into the old wells to fill them up and Perkins mows a couple of vacant lots a week When weather is right, residents burn a vacant house. "We have cleaned up approximately 30 percent of the property that needed work," Neal said.

"If we were to secure the $5,000 grant from the county, we could do the rest Perkins said most of the money would be used to hire a bulldozer and operator. Anna's natural gas users to get February price break 3y Fred Keller Southern lllinoisan Correspondent natural gas users will get a "price break next February, when usage may be at its highest. IThe Anna city council Tuesday approved giving all residential and business users a 22-percent discount off bills issued during February. The discount is calculated to refund to the consumer the $58,604 which the city's supplier, Texas Eastern returned in a rebate Aug. 30..