Southern Illinoisan from Carbondale, Illinois • Page 7

The Southern Illinoisan Tuesday, July 3, 2007 www.thesouthern.com L0 7A LIBBY: President commutes former aides sentence MISS ILLINOIS: Ashley Hatfield hails from Anna 'Libby's conviction was the one faint glimmer of accountability for White House efforts to manipulate intelligence and silence critics of the Iraq war. Now, even that small bit of justice has been undone Harry Reid Senate Majority Leader it LOCAL WINNERS Anna resident Ashley Hatfield is the first woman from Southern Illinois crowned since Jaleigh Jeffers of Mount Carmel won the title in 1982. Other Southern Illinois winners are Shanna McNeill of Carterville in 1979, Pamela Gilbert of Carbondale in 1962 and Patsy Bruce of Carbondale in 1954. Herrin resident Ashley Eisenhauer was first runner up for Miss Illinois in 1997 but was given the title when the winner, Kate Shindle of Evanston, became Miss America. FROM PAGE 1 beautiful outside; she is a wonderful speaker and she is a wonderful singer." Singing was Hatfield's talent act in Saturday's pageant.

She wants to sing as much as she can during her reign as Miss Illinois, which means she'll likely be performing the national anthem at a number of sporting events, she said. Hatfield will soon move to Chicago, where the Miss Illinois Scholarship Association will provide an apartment for her while she performs her duties. She has a business manager to keep her schedule and security to assist her throughout the year. Her mother, Belinda, said she's comforted knowing Hatfield will be looked after while in the city. The change discredit a critic of the Iraq war.

Libby's supporters celebrated the president's decision. "President Bush did the right thing today in commuting the prison term for Scooter Libby," said House Republican Whip Roy Blunt of Missouri. "That's fantastic. It's a great relief," said former Ambassador Richard Carlson, who helped raise millions for Libby's defense fund. "Scooter Libby did not deserve to go to prison and I'm glad the president had the courage to do this." Already at record lows in the polls, Bush risked a political backlash with his decision.

President Ford tumbled in the polls after his 1974 pardon of Richard M. Nixon, and the decision was a factor in Ford's loss in his bid for re-election. White House officials said Bush knew he could take political heat and simply did what he thought was right. They would not say what advice Cheney might have given the president. On the other hand, Bush's CHUCK NOVARA THE SOUTHERN hand from her mother, Belinda, crown.

campus secures major partner DIRECTOR: Carbondale Main Street selects leader FROM PAGE 1 portion of Mr. Libby's sentence that required him to spend thirty months in prison." Bush's decision enraged Democrats and cheered conservatives though some of the latter wished Bush had granted a full pardon. "Libby's conviction was the one faint glimmer of accountability for White House efforts to manipulate intelligence and silence critics of the Iraq war," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. "Now, even that small bit of justice has been undone." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, said Bush's decision showed the president "condones criminal conduct." Unlike a pardon, which would have wiped away Libby's criminal record, Bush's commutation voided only the prison term. The president left intact a $250,000 fine and two years probation for his conviction of lying and obstructing justice in a probe into the leak of a CIA operative's identity.

The former operative, Valerie Plame, contends the White House was trying to discredit her husband, a critic of Bush's Iraq policy. Bush said his action still "leaves in place a harsh punishment for Mr. Libby." Libby was convicted in March, the highest-ranking White House official ordered to prison since the Iran-Contra affair. Testimony in the case had revealed the extraordinary steps that Bush and Cheney were willing to take to PROJECT: Energy FROM PAGE 1 to 1,300 megawatts, she said. The announcement comes on the heels of a $2.9 billion engineering, procurement, construction and management contract signed earlier this month with Bechtel Power Corp.

for the power-related facilities. Bechtel has an agreement in place with the Southwestern Illinois Building and Construction Trades Council for plant construction and initial craft hiring begins this summer. The project, according to a study by Southern Illinois University Carbondale, should pump nearly $100 million annually into the regional economy, creating about 2,500 jobs during the peak of its four-year construction and 450 permanent jobs. KARC0: Residents FROM PAGE 1 Karco Recycling and has purchased 17 acres of property just southeast of the Illinois 13 and 148 intersection so he can build a recycling center with a car grinder. The property was recently annexed into Marion from the county.

The multi-million-dollar operation Karsten envisions would be built in phases, with a grinder not expected to become a part of the operation initially. "I am convinced that if the Karco facility is built in the proper fashion, there would be no vibrations (felt by the use of the grinder)," Butler said. LThe mayor said the council had gone to great lengths to answer residents' concerns. "We said we would do what we could to investigate the situation and we did," Butler said. "We went to Nebraska and saw and heard for ourselves what this recycling center was like.

There is no comparison between this Serving Southern Illinois' Finest DDQ With A Wide Variety Of Fine Foods 3 wwfV action could help Republican presidential candidates by letting them off the hook on the question of whether they would pardon Libby. A message seeking comment from Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's office was not immediately returned. Bush said Cheney's former aide was not getting off free. "The reputation he gained through his years of public service and professional work in the legal community is forever damaged," Bush said. "His wife and young children have also suffered immensely.

He will remain on probation. The significant fines imposed by the judge will remain in effect. The consequences of his felony conviction on his former life as a lawyer, public servant and private citizen will be long-lasting." A spokeswoman for Cheney said simply, "The vice president supports the president's decision." The White House said Bush came to his decision in the past week or two and made it final Monday because of the ruling of the appeals panel, which meant Libby would be going to prison soon. State momentum to start full-scale construction this fall," said Rick Bown, Peabody Energy president of generation and Btu conversion. "This strong interest is testament to the growing need for affordable generation from secure, homegrown energy sources." Phillip M.

Gonet, president of the Illinois Coal Association, said construction of the plant is good news for the coal industry. "This bodes well," he said. "The success and construction of this project will have others looking at building in Illinois. The reality of it is that there is an increasing need for energy and some of our older power plants are getting to the end of their useful life or cannot be equipped to meet environmental standards." beckymalkgmail.com 927-5633 proposal of his family have lived on land near the proposed Karco site. "We never anticipated this kind of thing going in," he said in reference to the plant.

Jennings said it's no more fair to build a recycling plant near his property and other residences than it would be to build in a subdivision such as Westernaire. Linda Kinley, who also lives near the Karsten property, was the most animated with her comments. She berated the mayor and council for what she believes to be their support of the Karco project. "Search your hearts," she said. "Would you want this next to your property?" Butler said the council would make a decision at its meeting Monday to determine the fate of the Karco Recycling plant doing business in Marion.

Karsten did not attend Monday's meeting. john.homanthesouthem.com 351-5805 pUEAKFAST ITEftjg Eggs, Omelets, Biscuits Gravy, Pancakes, French Toast, Muffins More. SIDE ITEMS Rib Tips, Onion Rings, French Fries, Hot Wings, Cole Slaw, Fried Okra More dO jl? i The campus will be located near Lively Grove and will be among the cleanest U.S. coal-fueled power plants, using a selection of advanced clean coal technologies, Sutton said. The project was first announced in 2001 and has undergone an extensive five-year environmental review, Sutton said.

All necessary permits for construction are in place. Other partners in the project include lead developer Peabody Energy, Illinois Municipal Electric Agency, Indiana Municipal Power Agency, Kentucky Municipal Power Agency, Missouri Joint Municipal Electric Utility Commission, Northern Illinois Municipal Power Agency and Prairie Power Inc. "AMP's participation is the latest in a series of major milestones giving Prairie not satisfied with facility and the ones in Henderson, or Elkhart, Ind." Residents who live near the Karsten property weren't sold on the mayor's message. "I'm not convinced that the concrete will protect the soil and water from being polluted," said Donna Howell, "or the air from the dust that's created by the grinder." Howell said she is also worried about increased traffic on Illinois 148 and that her property values might diminish with a recycling plant practically in her backyard. Mary Periman of Herrin said she resided at a trailer park next to Karco in Carbondale for eight years.

"I just wonder if the Karsten family would be willing to take part in a federally regulated environmental management program for the protection of their employees and residents of the area." An emotional David Jennings said six generations Ashley Hatfield gets a helping in positioning her Miss Illinois will be great, she said, but one that will be worthwhile for her daughter or for anyone thinking of seeking the Miss Illinois title. "It should be encouraging 'Mostly she's just very poised, has a lot of excitement about the job and knows an awful lot about Carbondale Randy Johnson Carbondale Main Street board president Johnson said Conley has served the program well during her tenure and the board wishes her well. "We were tickled to death with everything she did," Johnson said. X-Plush Firm Pillowtcp i QUEEN SCT TWIN SET $849 FULL SET $749 KING SET $1099 nfl. hit fit for other young ladies in this area to take it on," she said.

"If they are ready and it's their time, it can happen." caleb.halethesouthern.com 351-5090 "She's done a great job for us and brought the Main Street role in Carbondale to a landmark role. I "A lot of other communities in the state look at us on how it's supposed to work." Conley excelled in developing collaborations between the program and Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Johnson said. Carbondale Main Street is involved in new student programs at the university. Johnson said he wants to continue to develop new activities and promotional initiatives for downtown businesses in Carbondale and expects Cole to work toward such goals. caleb.halethesouthem.com 351-5090 Historic Hull House Awed TiraU Catir and Git flhuppe SLEEPING? Super Firm Euro Pillowtop 0 QUEEN SET TWIN SET $949 FULL SET $1049 KING SET $1449 iBacKWrtBia FROM PAGE 1 and nationally, Johnson said.

'Mostly she's just very poised, has a lot of excitement about the job and knows an awful lot about Carbondale for someone who has only been here a short time," he said. Cole said she is looking forward to stepping in to lead the organization. "As always, my plans are to make sure the businesses work well together and raise as much money for downtown and Carbondale Main Street as possible," Cole said. Conley deferred comment on the transition to the board president until an official announcement is made late next week. Plush Firm izs dJ mm sn TWIN SET $399 FULL SET $499 KING SET $849 1 fc www.thesouthem.com Diuf JUSt Right SNnT Ribs, Chicken, Fish, Turkey, Sandwiches Ail You Can Eat Catfish 7 Days a Week Breakfast, Lunch Dinner 7 Days a Week Dine-In or Drive Thru lirV O) each pIece AA" Vjy SOLD IS SETS ONLY Have you tried OUr Grilled Chicken Monterey Sp8hettl Dinner Perk Steak Dinner Ti? Dinner All dinners include choice of 2 sides Chllirens Menu Avallstb vims 'cmnsffl? -ACROSS FROM U-MALL- -ROUTE 4i..