The Daily Herald from Chicago, Illinois • Page 73

Thursday, November 13,1997 ILLINOIS SUBURBS Section 13 Edgar's newest education proposal in trouble BY DON THOMPSON Daily Herald State Government Writer SPRINGFIELD Gov. Jim Edgar's latest education proposal appeared doomed Wednesday when Senate Democrats, teachers unions and Chicago schools chief Paul Vallas all criticized the bill. The package has the lukewarm support of Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan of Chicago and House GOP Leader Lee Daniels of Elmhurst. Republican Senate President James "Pate" Philip of Wood Dale called the measure "a gigantic step in the right direction," although the-bill lacks support from at least three suburban Republican senators who fear much of the school money would flow to Chicago and downstate. Edgar and Philip tried to ratchet up pressure on Senate Democratic Leader Emil Jones of Chicago and his members to back the compromise.

Without Jones' backing, Republicans are about 10 votes short of the 36 they need in the Senate. "We just don't want to run up a it's doomed to failure. Right now, I don't think the thing wffl move forward," said state Sen. Frank Watson of downstate Greenville, who chaired one of two Senate Republican education reform committees. And with just two days left before lawmakers adjourn for the year, he doesn't think there is time to resolve all opponents' objections.

Edgar spokesman Tom Hardy held out hope that Jones' Democrats and teachers unions would "see the light" before lawmakers go home. "It's hard to believe they'd turn their back on this level of school funding," Hardy said. The' newest version unveiled Wednesday by Edgar and Philip includes four tax increases, down from seven previously: increasing the telephone tax from 5 percent to 7 percent; a 14-cent increase in the 44-cent tax on a pack of cigarettes; boosting from 15 percent to 20 percent the penalty for late payment of state taxes; and increasing the 20 percent tax on wealthier riverboat casinos up to 35 percent of their profits. Taxes on over-the-counter drugs, newspaper and ink, and capping an incentive for vendors to pay their sales tax on time all fell victim to intense lobbying by groups which would have been most affected by the tax increases. "This is sending a very, very kind of convoluted message to our school kids: 'If you smoke and gamble, your schools will get said Chicago Teachers Union spokeswoman Jackie Gallagher.

She and Jones objected that the plan, unlike Edgar's proposed income tax increase that was rejected by Senate Republicans last spring, includes no property tax relief and thus makes no radical change in the way the state pays for its schools. "It's just another Band-Aid approach," said Jones. "I don't want to be here two years from now with the old shell game. will be angry with us." Proponents had been counting on Vallas to sway Chicago Democrats to support the proposal. But he objected that the bill contains no guarantee that the $480 million increase in school aid won't dry up just as schools begin counting on the extra money.

And the CTU, Illinois Federation of Teachers and Illinois Education Association have a laundry list of objections to proposed changes in teacher tenure and certification requirements. With the Senate Republican plan stalled, Daniels on Wednesday offered an alternative that contains only one tax the telephone tax from 5 percent to 6.5 percent. Deregulation should help save energy, legislators say BY DON THOMPSON Daily Herald State Government Writer SPRINGFIELD Thirty state representatives have endorsed environmental groups' arguments that a pending electric deregulation bill should include more incentives for energy conservation measures. That could be addressed this week, along with concerns from schools and local governments, such as those near the Zion nuclear power plant, that their property tax bases will be devastated by the bill to be considered in the House beginning today. "It's chock full of benefits for utilities and consumers alike," said Martin Cohen, executive director of the Citizens Utility Board.

"In fact, there are billions of dollars in benefits in State seeks to suspend doctor's license Associated Press State regulators filed a complaint Wednesday seeking to suspend the medical license of a doctor accused of fondling four Chicago-area nursing home patients, six months after he was indicted in two of the cases. Dr. Luis D'Avis, 53, of Skokie, is accused hi the complaint from the Department of Professional Regulation of fondling female patients at nursing homes in Winfield, West Chicago and Northbrook during the last two years. The Associated Press reported Tuesday that D'Avis is still practicing at nursing homes with an Illinois medical license in good standing, despite the four accusations and a 1992 misdemeanor conviction in Cook County for sex-related battery against a male patient in a hospital clinic. Department officials said at first Wednesday they would not take the "unusual" step of seeking an immediate suspension of D'Avis' license even though police have called him a threat D'Avis would be allowed to continue practicing during the agency's usual months-long complaint process.

"The standard there is imminent danger to the public and, you know, I don't know that that's the situation here," said Michael J. Lyons, the department's chief of medical prosecutions. But department officials said later they were reconsidering their decision after a television interview with D'Avis. Department attorney John Goldberg said that in the interview with Chicago's WBBM-TV, D'Avis admitted touching the breasts of a patient in January 1997 at the Wood Glen Nursing and Rehabilitation Home in West Chicago. "I touched her to relieve her tension, but I was taking my time also to relieve myself," D'Avis said in the interview.

"He's admitted doing it, as alleged," Goldberg said. Lyons said he would review the tape before deciding whether to ask department Director Nikki Zollar to grant a summary suspension, which requires the department to hold a formal hearing on the allegations within 15 days. In a telephone interview with the AP, D'Avis maintained that he is "a very caring and very loving physician" whose warm bedside manner has been misunderstood by some. In the alleged fondling cases, D'Avis said, he would do a breast examination of the patients and then, 10 or 15 minutes later, touch their shoulders and hands while talking with them. "The allegations are not true.

This is a misinterpretation of my acts as a doctor," D'Avis said. In May, D'Avis was indicted in DuPage County on two felony counts of abuse of a nursing home resident, for an alleged incident in 1996 at the Liberty Hill Health Care Center in Winfield and for the 1997 allegation in West Chicago. the form of lower rates for customers and access to a competitive market. But there's one place, clearly, where the bill does fall short, and that's in the area of environmental benefits." Deregulation will push utilities to produce cheaper energy, which likely will mean a return to burning high-polluting coal. That makes encouraging alternatives even more necessary, said environmental groups and state representatives, including Republicans Mark Beaubien Jr.

of Barrington Hills, Elizabeth Coulson of Glenview, Andrea Moore of Libertyville and Democrat Lauren Beth Gash of Highland Park. House Electric Utility Deregulation Committee Chairman Phil Novak, a Democrat from Bradley, also signed the letter. But while he is sympathetic, he questioned whether consumers and utilities are willing to pay the additional money environmental groups say is needed. As it stands, the bill requires utilities to spend $3 million annually to encourage energy efficiency. It also taxes consumers 2Vz cents a month to raise about $4.8 million a year to promote alternatives such as wind power, now being tested in Iowa and Minnesota.

Instead of that roughly $8 million, the environmental groups want Illinois to spend $40 million on such programs, closer to the amount assessed in other states. "What you're talking about here is nickels and talking 25 cents a month, $3 per year for the typical customer," said Howard Learner, executive director of the Environmental Law and Policy Center. Also Wednesday: Late-term abortions: A controversial late-term abortion procedure was outlawed when the Senate, without debate, joined the House in agreeing to Gov. Jim Edgar's amendments to the bill. Abortion rights advocates are promising an immediate legal challenge, arguing that it restricts women's options beyond guidelines set by the U.S.

Supreme Court Extra judges: Lake and DuPage counties will each get one additional judge and Cook County two judges after the House joined the Senate in unanimously overriding Edgar's veto of $1 million for that purpose. Lake County Associate Judge Margaret J. Mullen, 41, of Lake Police seek connection in dry cleaner robberies BY NOKEEN S. AHMED-UILAH Daily Herald Staff Writer A gunman held up two Carol Stream businesses Wednesday, including a dry cleaning store that was robbed the day before. Police are investigating whether the Carol Stream stickups may be connected to ah attempted'armed robbery at a Wheaton dry cleaner Wednesday, Wheaton police Cmdr.

Thomas Heidank said. The gunman botched the first robbery at Saigon Oriental Market, 614 St. Charles Road in Carol Stream, around 2:55 p.m., police said. He tried to get money from a female cashier but was unsuccessful and fled the area on foot, police said. Around 3:50 p.m.

Wednesday he struck Four Seasons Cleaners, 901E. Geneva Road in Carol Stream and took off with an undetermined amount of cash, police said. About $130 was taken during an armed robbery at Four Seasons on Tuesday. In between the Carol Stream incidents, there was an attempted robbery at MB Cleaners at 1714 E. Roosevelt Road in Wheaton.

Around 3:30 p.m., a man wearing a sweatshirt and jeans walked into the store and asked the clerk how much it would cost to get a leather jacket cleaned, Heidank said. He stayed for a few minutes, then implied he had a weapon and demanded cash. After the clerk called another employee, the robber ran away, police said. The owner of Four Seasons said a man walked into his store Tuesday and asked how imich it cost to clean a leather jacket and what tune the store closed. The customer looked around the store, which had been robbed once before by a man with a knife, left and then returned five minutes later.

He asked for singles for a $5 bill, the owner said. As the owner opened the cash register, the man pulled out a handgun and demanded cash. Once the owner handed over the money, the gunman fled the area on foot, police said. Authorities also are looking into an armed robbery in Villa Park at Mille's Cleaners, 416 N. Ardmore Ave.

in Villa Park, around 11:55 a.m. Tuesday, where $100 was taken. The robber in all of the incidents has been described as about 17 to 20 years old, 150 pounds and 5 feet 8 inches tall, police said. Daily Herald staff writer JH1 Braverman contributed to this story. Doctor fined for exaggerating poor conditions at his clinic BY TERESA MASK Daily Herald Staff Writer The Barrington doctor who wants to open an abortion clinic in Arlington Heights was fined $2,000 for misleading the board members who would approve the opening.

Dr. Vinod Goyal told the Illinois Health Facilities Board he needed to move the clinic from Des Plaines to Arlington Heights because of "abhorrent conditions." His name now appears on a recently released disciplinary action list from the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation. In a signed consent order, Goyal admitted the statements he made about the physical condition of the Des Plaines facility were misleading. He could not be reached for comment Wednesday. His attorney, Dennis Tobin, said Goyal was fined for "over-emphasizing" what he thought were poor conditions for his patients.

Tobin said Goyal was dissatisfied with how much money he was shelling out to fix problems in the building, which they claim the landlord would not take care of. "The statements were not false they were misleading," Tobin said. "He made the kind of complaints tenants make about landlords." Illinois Health Facilities Board member Richard Wright recalls Goyal showing pictures of flood damage at the hearing. "I recall thinking, 'If it is so bad, why aru you still practicing Wright said. That is why board members decided to send a transcript of Goyal's statements to the regulation board who visited the site for themselves.

Spokeswoman Maureen Squires said the inspectors did not find rodents or dirty rooms as Goyal had described. They found no patients to be in jeopardy. Although he was fined, it does not mean he cannot practice medicine, she said. "It is a black mark on his record and any employer or patient can check it," she said. "It will remain as a permanent mark." Next week the Illinois Health Facilities Board will meet again.

Goyal has not requested another hearing on relocating his facility to Arlington Heights. Last month the board made a preliminary decision to deny the move. Bluff, immediately announced that she is a candidate for the Republican nomination for the new circuit judgeship there. Cable late fees: Representatives attempted but felted to rescind then- controversial vote two weeks ago that would have set a $5 cap for late fees on cable television bills. Representatives said they didn't understand the bill they voted on late in the day, or that it had been amended to heh) the cable TV industry.

After taking an initial parliamentary vote, representatives determined they couldn't recall the bill because it had already been sent to the Senate. It was tabled there indefinitely after Attorney General Jim Ryan said it would have interfered with his investigation of whether late fees are too high. Seigle to resign from agency Republican comptroller candidate Harry Seigle of East Dundee plans to resign his chairmanship of a state agency today. Seigle, chairman of Elgin- based Seigje's Building Centers, will quit the chairmanship of the Illinois Development Finance Authority to devote more time to his first bid for statewide office. "The public trust is such that you shouldn't try to leverage one position into another one," Seigle said in confirming his move Wednesday.

"It wouldn't be fair for me to try to be both chairman of IDFA and a candidate for comptroller." The Illinois Development Finance Authority issues bonds and loans to encourage job creation and business development throughout the state. Seigle has been its chairman since 1995. Seigle, 50, faces a primary challenge from state Sen. Chris Lauzen, a 44-year-old certified public accountant from Aurora. Democrats seeking the office that issues tax refunds and other state checks are Chicago lawyer Dan Hynes, 29, and Fred Lebed, a 43-year- old Western Springs resident who is an aide to Cook County Board President John Stroger.

suspects face eged check-forgery ring BY MOREEN S. AHMED-ULLAH Daily Herald Staff Writer Postal authorities and Naperville police say they've busted a ring that stole checks out of curbside mailboxes and fraudulently cashed them, leaving area banks with nearly in losses. But the investigation is far from over. Officials expect additional arrests, U.S. Postal Inspection Service spokesman Leo Lalley said Wednesday.

Forgery charges have been placed against James E. Bobo, 45, of 2065 Fox Pointe Circle, Apt. 106 in Aurora; his wife, Christy J. Bobo, 43, of the same address; James E. Bobo's brother, Robert T.

Bobo, 41, of Bobbins; and Ina M. Noreen, 29, of Bolingbrook, police said. About 140 stolen checks were cashed at various banks in the area, including those in Naperville, Aurora and Warrenville, officials said. These mail thefts and forgeries date back to March, Lalley said. In the scam, authorities say that outgoing mail consisting of checks for bill payments are stolen from curbside mailboxes.

With the checks, forgers obtain the name of the bank, the account number and the victim's signature, Lalley said. Later on, blank checks may be stolen out of another person's purse, Lalley said. The blank checks are written out to the mailbox-theft victim with the victim's forged signature and then either the entire check will be cashed, or some money will be deposited hi the victim's account and the rest will be pocketed, authorities said. In most of the cases, the banks did not check for identification and the forged checks were cashed, Lalley said. James Bobo was initially arrested on forgery charges Sept.

26 and police looked through his home with a search warrant, Lalley said. He was released after posting bond and arrested again Oct. 2 with his brother after Robert Bobo tried to cash a forged check at a Warrenville bank, according to DuPage County state's attorney's office and Warrenville police. James Bobo also was charged with driving under the influence of drugs, obstructing a police officer and fleeing and eluding after police said he drove away from officers during the Oct. 2 arrest.

James Bobo was arrested on a warrant for unlawful possession of a weapon Saturday along with his wife, who was also wanted on a warrant. Fire burns roof of Itasca home; no one injured BY NOREEN S. AHMED-ULLAH Daily Herald Staff Writer Residents of a ranch-style house near Itasca were forced to find temporary housing Wednesday after a roof fire. No one was home before noon Wednesday when neighbors called 911 to report the fire at 6N505 Fairway Lane, Itasca police and fire officials said. The fire left a 20-by-20-foot hole in the roof, Itasca fire Lt.

Robert Hianik said. Damage to the home was estimated at more than $10,000, he said. No one was injured. Train strikes car that ran railroad signals BY NOREEN S. AHMED-ULLAH Daily Herald Staff Writer A Union Pacific freight train struck the back of a car that did not stop for activated railroad signals on Army Trail Road in Wayne on Wednesday, police said.

The driver of the car, Lisa M. Psaute, 20, of 1609 Ronzheimer Ave. in St. Charles, escaped with scrapes to her neck, Wayne police Chief Robert P. Heitzman said.

She was treated and released from Delnor-Community Hospital in Geneva, a nursing supervisor said. Police said Psaute was driving a 1990 Chevrolet Beretta west on Army Trail Road, two miles west of the crossing at Route 59. She said she didn't see the railroad signals or hear the engineer blowing the horn until she was on the tracks, Heitzman said. The crossing does not have crossing gates, police said. Rather than slam into the side of the northbound train, Psaute accelerated and tried to get off the tracks, Heitzman said.

The train hit the rear driver's side of the Beretta and sent the car spuming onto the shoulder west of the crossing, police said. Psaute was ticketed for failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident and disregarding railroad signals, police said. The cause of the fire is under investigation but is not believed to be suspicious, firefighters said. When fire officials arrived at the home, which has a vaulted ceiling, flames had cut through the roof. The fire was contained to the roof area, Hianik said.

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