The Times from Munster, Indiana • 9

INDIANAPOLIS Democrats bash president on economy Poll: Candidates Simpson; well known Missouri and Frank O'Bannon Indiana joined Vilsack in urging Congress to reconsider plan proposed in January by Democratic governors that would invest money in infrastructure and highway improvements to create jobs. The three gathered at a news conference in a downtown Chicago hotel after a two-day Democratic Governors' Association policy conference. Vilsack, who serves as the group's vice chairman, said Democratic governors are concerned with the Bush administration's projection that the federal deficit will climb to a record $455 billion this year and surge to $475 billion in 2004. He said they also are alarmed that ica's economy grow and create new jobs." "The bipartisan legislation he signed into law will allow 92 million Americans to keep more of their money to spend, save and invest. When families have more of their own money to spend, they spend it on goods and services that enable businesses to grow and hire more workers," he said.

Missouri gained 324,000 jobs in fiscal year 2001 and 318,000 jobs in fiscal year 2002, and the state's unemployment rate is a percentage point below the national average, Holden said. "But this has not been easy and we can't stand still," he said. the nation's unemployment rate climbed to a nine-year high of 6.4 percent in June. "It's not about tax cuts for the wealthy. It's really about putting people to work, building a stronger American said.

By investing in an infrastructure construction program and highway spending, the governors said temporary and permanent jobs would be created. For example, they said putting money toward construction of a new school would result in construction jobs as well as permanent teaching and building maintenance jobs. White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said Bush was "leading the way to help Amer BATTLE GROUND fY Andrew not Gov. O'Barmon's approval rating slips below 40 percent. By The Associated Press Fewer than one-third of respondents in a WISH-TV poll released Tuesday recognized the name of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Vi Simpson, but even fewer knew of Joe Andrew, who also is seeking the nomination.

The statewide poll, conducted by the Indiana University Public Opinion Laboratory on the Indianapolis television station's behalf, put Gov. Frank O'Bannon's approval rating at 39 percent. A similar poll taken in July 2002 showed 41 percent of respondents approving the way he was handling his job. The poll showed that 30 percent of respondents recognized Simpson's name, and 17 percent recognized Andrew's name. Brian Vargus, director of the public opinion lab, acknowledged it was early in the governor's race.

But even this early out, he said, Democrats could not be pleased that so few people know of their candidates. "It's just so low that it definitely confirms what a lot of Democrats are saying, that they are running their second team," Vargus said. Lt. Gov. Joe Kernan, who had been widely expected to seek and get the Democratic nomination, stunned political circles in December by announcing he would not run in 2004.

The survey is based on telephone interviews conducted Thursday through Sunday with 827 self-identi-fied registered voters. The will continue to enhance the depth and breadth of the quality of students we are able to enroll and retain for our programs," Christiansen said. Last year, College Board trustees voted to overhaul the nation's most widely used college-entrance exam, the SAT. The changes, which take effect Governors say nation needs to invest money in programs to create jobs. I By The Associated Press CHICAGO -Three Democrat-" ic governors Tuesday said tax breaks alone will not improve the nation's economy, adding there will be no recovery until Americans are put back to work.

"President Bush's reliance on tax cuts is somewhat akin to giving Sammy Sosa a whiffle ball bat and asking him to hit a Roger Clemens fast ball. It just isn't going to work. It looks like it's going to work, but it's not," Iowa Gov.TomVilsack said. Governors Bob Holden of INDIANAPOLIS Lottery nears record high sales for '03 By The Associated Press Hoosier Lottery sales reached near-record highs for fiscal 2003, lottery officials said Tuesday. Total revenues climbed to $665.58 million, an increase of nearly $40 million over the previous year for the 12 months ending June 30 and the second-highest annual revenue since the lottery began 14 years ago.

The highest revenue was $681 million, which was collected in fiscal 1999. Officials said the lottery turned a profit of about $176 million last year. Indiana uses lottery profits to lower motor vehicle excise taxes, support teacher, police and firefighter pension funds and for capital improvements. Money also goes into the state's general fund. About 30 percent of the lottery revenue goes to support state government, with about 50 percent going toward prizes, agency spokesman Andrew Reed said.

Fiscal 2003 also saw the highest sales of scratch-off tickets in the lottery's history. About $386 million was spent on scratch-off tickets. From its scratch-off games, the Hoosier Lottery gives away an average of 115,423 prizes a day. In fiscal 2003, more than $247.5 million in prizes came from scratch-off tickets. Wire news of a ACROSS A bundle of wheat is carried to a wagon to be stacked on Don Rettig's farmland Monday.

The wheat will be used by the Tippecanoe Steam and Gas Power Association for threshing demonstrations during their 23rd annual show In Battle Ground July 25-27. About 2.5 acres of wheat was cut and bound with a 1930's era Case binder. Every year volunteers with the organization cut, bind and stack the wheat on wagons the old fashioned way. margin of error is plus or minus 3.6 percentage points. WISH plans to release survey results on name recognition for three Republican gubernatorial candidates -Mitch Daniels, David Mcintosh and Eric Miller today.

Indianapolis businessman Bob Parker and Petersburg Mayor Randy Harris also are seeking the GOP nomination. Of respondents who recognized Simpson's name, 44 percent said they had a favorable opinion of her. Simpson is a longtime state senator from the Bloomington area. Andrew, a former state and national chairman of the Democratic Party, had a 37 percent favorable percentage. Andrew and the Simpson campaign said it was early in the race, and they were not disappointed in the poll results.

"Ultimately polls don't matter, people do, and I think the senator is gratified that so many people are responding to her message of bold leader ship and economic said Simpson campaign spokesman Jason Kinney. I Andrew said his campaign was young, but his message of creating jobs was getting out. "Vi Simpson has been in office for 24 years, and two" thirds of people don't know of her," he said. Mary Dieter, O'Bannon's press secretary, said the 39 percent approval rating for O'Bannon was "somewhat lower than I understand it to be." "But we understand that people are concerned about the economy, and it is easy and natural for them to blame the governor," she said. "We believe as people see the measures the governor has put into place, that will come in March 2005, included requiring an essay exam, toughening the math section and eliminating analogy questions.

The writing test for the ACT will be optional. Purdue will require students taking the ACT to take the writing component to satisfy admission requirements. AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE TOM LEININGER ASSOCIATED PRESS we feel it is imperative that we require this new component," Douglas Christiansen, Purdue's dean of admissions and assistant vice president for enrollment management, said Tuesday in a news release. "By including the new writing component in our admission-evaluation criteria, we require applicants to take writing test in 2006 WEST LAFAYETTE Purdue to By The Associated Press Purdue University will require applicants to take a writing test as part of the SAT and ACT college-entrance exams, beginning with the freshman class of 2006. The additional test will be required of students who ap THE STATE Lli of interest throughout the state of WASHINGTON Hull campaign fund tops $6 million More than a year before the 2004 general election, businessman Blair Hull has lent or contributed $6 million to his bid to become Illinois' next U.S.

senator, according to his latest campaign finance report. That includes $4 million in personal loans the Chicago Democrat made in the quarter ended June 30. Hull, who sold a commodities firm in 1999 for more than $500 million, has said he is prepared to spend $40 million of his personal fortune to win the seat now held by retiring Republican Sen. Peter Fitzgerald. If Hull spends all $6 million he already has put into his campaign fund, he will have outspent by more than $1 million the amount Sen.

Dick Durbin, D-lll, spent during the entire six years leading up to his reelection last fall. Hull's campaign has spent $3.5 million so far, including an estimated $800,000 on radio and TV ads in late June, that left the candidate's fund with $2.5 million as of July 1. Hull has a self-imposed limit of $100 on contributions his campaign will take from others, and has only received $25,209 in.individ-ual contributions. By The Associated Press Tiirtiir rnirr- -nifTr inir--rn mmmammmmmmmimmmKmmmaKmmmmaummmummtmm IIMIIMITEn NATIONWIDE DIRECT UNLIMITED CONNECT ACCESS DIRECT CONNECT UNLIMITED minutes UNLIMITED NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS -no ANYTIME CELLULAR 3UU MINUTES Dim CQHHKP Hie digital walkie-talkie (hat offers nationwide instant contact with tKe push of a button. ply to Purdue campuses in West Lafayette, Hammond, Fort Wayne and Westville.

Indiana University already announced it would require students applying to the freshman class of 2006 to take the writing tests. "In order to remain competitive with our peer institutions, Illinois CHICAGO Blagojevich signs bill for home-care workers After a rally of support in the lobby of the Thompson Center Tuesday, members of a state employees union watched as Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed a labor bill granting collective bargaining rights to 20,000 state-employed home care workers. "Home care workers do some of the toughest work for quite minimal pay," said Abby -Ottenhoff, spokeswoman for the governor. "The governor believes that it was not only right but necessary to make sure that as people who contract directly with the state, that they are granted the right to negotiate with the state for their wages." House Bill 2221 was signed one year after seven home care workers were arrested in the same building during a protest against budget cuts that prohibited the kind of pay raises now made possible by the bill.

Medill News Service Hewetoqrcwon Keep your Home in shape and your Garden growing with these sections and features, every weekl Homefrart Home Garden Ask the Builder House and Garden with Omtff-f' I Home ffl Garden It charges apply. Taxes, fees and other VALPARAISO NORTH AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTER (2191531-4997 i i MERRILLVILLE F' VEHICLE BATTERY ICEZK charger! with the purchase cf New Activation COUPON IS REQUIRED fatrplijly3U003 I 1 (219)945-0808 LAPORTE (219) 324-9948 1237 N. State Road 39 LaPorte, In 46350 (Intersection of 35 39) 2895 E. US Hwy. 30 Merrillville, IN 46410 (next to Home Depot) VALPARAISO SOUTH (219) 548-5853 1751 Morthland Drive Valparaiso, IN 46385 (in Thornapple Plaza) VALPARAISO MARKETPLACE (219) 464-9579 SPRINGFIELD Illinois governor defends pay raises for his staff Just months after he ruled out pay raises for thousands of state workers, Gov.

Rod Blagojevich recently gave annual raises to some members of his immediate staff. Blagojevich, who has lectured other statewide officials about cutting costs, gave the raises of $1,000 to six of his 91 staffers who have been in their positions for just months. The raises went into effect July 1. The governor's aides defended the increases, however, and said Blagojevich's payroll is still much smaller than his predecessor's. Other state officials were critical of the governor for handing out raises as he's telling them to tighten their belts and for ruling out raises for 11,000 nonunion state workers and a state-paid pension perk worth 4 percent of their salaries.

By The Associated Press 3125-5 N. Calumet Ave. Valparaiso, IN 46383 (across from Ace Hardware) CHICAGO Latino leaders contend they were misled Latino political leaders complained Tuesday they felt "misled" by Governor Blagojevich's recent budget cuts to Hispanic programs, especially after earlier discussions indicated he would not slash programs important to their constituents. At a news conference in the Thompson Center, the Illinois-Legislative Latino Caucus called for the override of Gov. Blagojevich's line-item vetoes they said will negatively impact programs in the Latino community.

"We were misled," said State Rep. Edward Acevedo (D-Chicago), referring to a budget meeting held recently in Springfield. "With all good intentions we voted yes to a budget that we believed would have our approval." Medill News Service HIGHLAND (219) 322-8150 PORTAGE SCHERERVILLE (21 91 764-4997 (21 91 865-4997 3367 Willowcreek Road 1 44 W. Lincoln Hwy. HOBART (219)942-8000 1433 S.

Lake Park (US 51) Hobart, IN 46342 (across from St. Mary's) MICHIGAN CITY (219) 878-8205 4215 Franklin St. Michigan City, IN 46360 (next to Red Lobster) r- multiplied by the number ot partic pants Connect calls dre charged to the call minutes and Nationwide Direct Connect access 2620 LaPorte Ave. 138 US Hwy. 41 Schererville, IN 46375 (intersection of US 41 Main) Portage, IN 46368 Schererville, IN 46375 Valparaiso, IN 46383 (next to Quizno 5ubs (next to Miller Pizza) (Lincoln Ridge Plaza) nu ir.

wi I k. rJu i.n In t7H mi.mm iw vrniirl unnlilK Nationwide Direct Uners expire aepic-nniei JU, tuu cony miiim.oiiu.1 im jtti-uj Connect Mils use the Diract Connect minutes in yuur plan and incur an additional access charge of wither: (i) lOtminutf on the or (li) a monthly flat fee if you sign up for Unlimited Nationwide Direct Connect atcess Nationwide Direct initiator Charges for Nationwide Direct Connect access will apply beginning August 1 UUJ. Availability of sen'ice suDect to ton-oui scnuauie nwun v.ii. whi u.t Promotional nnca is basad on 1100 off the reoulat retail price. Reauires new activation, one- or two-year service agreement and M.tionwiH.

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