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AmericanWeekendWEEKENDMARCHHEALTH BEATMonthly health section Inside. ijjf — Special InsertCairo advances to state semi-finals.Special InsertFORECASTToday and tonight: Windy,chance of light snow, low in the teed (jp aiidcloudy, high in the iOs.Monday through WednesdayHear and cold, highs ln the 40$; lows inFridayiiHigh was 35, IdW was31.SCENIC POINT— Don Phillips looks out on the Ohio River while resting at the gazebo on the river bank in Elizabethtown.The gazebo provides a wonderful view of the river used by early settlers to begin a new life in Southern Illinois. Just up from the gazebo is the historic Rose Hotel, once known as McFarlan’s Tavern named for James McFarlan who settled in Elizabethtown in the early 1800s. The Rose Hotel was once the oldest continuously operating hotel in the state. (Lee Smith photo)By LEE SMITH _Managing Editor_The harvesting of tourists may be starting soon if six Southeastern Illinois counties have anything to say about it.Residents from the six counties, Saline, Gallatin, Pope, Hardin, White and Hamilton have been meeting to discuss common goals and desires in promoting tourism inSoutheastern Illinois.“We have the product,” said Don Phillips, owner of the River Rose Inn in Elizabethtown and chairman of the six-county committee. “The problem,” he added, “is getting the money to promote this region.”The Illinois Bureau of Tourism has a $24 million budget, the largest in the nation, to promote tourism in Illinois, according to Phillips.That money comes from a motel and hotel tax and is poured back into areas where the money is generated like Williamson County with over 1,000-beds.“We probably don’t have 500 beds in the six counties,” Phillips stated. “So there is very little money coming this way.”Jan Kemmerling, with the Bureau of Tourism in Springfield described the effort of promoting tourism as varying, but designed for specific products to bring in huge groups of people.We’re in the business of filling beds,” Kemmerling stated.According to Kemmerling, $10 million of the tourism budget is designated for domestic advertising, $1 million for international advertising, S8 million in grants to promote conventions and the remainder in a 60-40 matching grant program and operating funds.Kemmerling indicated that anyone was able to submit ideas to the tourism bureau for promotion.“Those ideas are then evaluated,” she said.A new ad campaign promoting tourismin Illinois is scheduled to begin on April 25 which will include Southern Illinois, Kemmerling reported, however, she did not have the exact details of the campaign.But will the Bureau of Tourism bring tourists to southeastern Illinois?“It’s not set up to promote,” Phillipssaid. “It’s an industry taxed service on motel and hotels. Any other effort or business does not qualify.”Those other efforts include many of the antique shops, gift shops and campgrounds that are in southeastern Illinois. And, force owners of private businesses to use theirmoney to compete against some state funded projects like the Rend Lake Botel.Metropolis will also benefit from the promotion of the Bureau of Tourism. The Players Riverboat Casino is designed to draw large numbers of crowds. Additionally, a 62-bed Best Inns Motel is nearingcompletion and another motel is looking at possible sites.State Senator Jim Rea, after listening to the comments at one of the committee meetings said, “There has to be another look at the funding, somehow equity has tobe worked out.”But, more immediate help may be on the way for the six-county region.With the help of Dr. Dan Fesenmaier of the University of Illinois a plan to improve tourism in terms of jobs, income and tax revenues is being worked on.“Dr. Fesenmaier was involved in the development of Brown Co. in Indiana,” Chuck Hankins, Saline County Development Director, told committee members at a recent meeting.Brown County, with a population of 800 people and 500 businesses was also an inspiration in the development of ProjectBOUNCE in Eldorado.Fesenmaier’s plans calls for and inventory of markets, transportation, attractions,information, service businesses and environment of the six counties. Issues and problems will be identified and then recommendations will be made.It is a general consensus by the committee that this area has a rich history and a strong sense of values that make it appealing as a tourist destination.“We all agree we have the product,” Phillips said. “But here are the roadblocks — we’re not able to tax people who represent partners in tourism development nor to we have the tools to participate in the Bureau of Tourism’s 60-40 grant program.”Phillips, and everyone working toward promoting southeastern Illinois tourism believe this area is ripe for tourism development.“Other areas of the state can’t compete with what we have here,” Phillips explains. “We have got the product in our history and in the scenic to develop a well-rounded tourist mecca.”JordanSENTENCING HEARING — Joe W.Jordan leaves the courtroom Friday afternoon after a day of testimony at his sentencing hearing. A judge is expected to decidethe admitted murder’s sentence Monday. (Nick Mariano photo)at3butBy NICK MARIANO Staff WriterA circuit court judge will have the weekend before deciding on a sentence to consider the testimony of a 19-year-old who pleaded guilty to killing a Carrier Mills man in August, 1992.Joe W. Jordan, who admitted his guilt in November to first-degree murder in a negotiated plea, testified Friday he could have left Thompson’s residence but he “freaked out” during the events leading up to Thompson’s death.Jordan, of Bald Knob, Ark., faces between 20to 60 years in prison for killing 54-year-old RalphThompson. Jordan pleaded1 guilty in agreementthat the state would not seek the death penalty against him.However, if the state can prove that aggravating factors were involved in the murder then Jordan would be eligible for a life sentence.Thompson, whose body was discovered covered in a quilt 20 to 30 feet away from his residence at 305 Smith Road two days after being killed on Aug. 11, was shot three times. The third, fatal shot came from a 30-30 rifle hitting Thompson in the back outside his home. Jordan had firstshot Thompson with a shotgun inside the home.Both guns, which Jordan later pawned belonged to Thompson and were in his bedroom when Jordanoutretrieved them.Jordan was arrested on Aug. 21 in possessionof Thompson’s 1989 Ford Mustang convertible in Austin, Nev., and was additionally charged withtheft of the car. Several charges of theft againstJordan were dismissed at the plea hearing.First Circuit Court Judge Michael Henshaw gave attorneys the weekend to gather legal precedents before he would decide on Jordan’s fate,whose mother and sister looked on after testifyingthemselves Friday.The soft-spoken and apparently nervous Jordantestified he lost control when Thompson fondled him by taking a hold of Jordan’s genitals twice and later hitting Jordan in the head with his fist after Jordan pushed him away.“I didn’t want to do it, I just freaked out. There’s nothing I can do about it now. Most of it is blurry. 1 know I shot him,” Jordan answered to his attorney’s questions about the shootings. Jordan is represented by co-counsel Glenn A. Murphy and Todd D. Lambert.Jordan told the court Thompson invited himover to his home to give him his 1989 Ford Mustang convertible as a gift. According to Jordan, Thompson told him the doors to the house would be unlocked and to wait inside if he was not there.See JORDAN, Page 4Emergencyofficials stresstornado safetyBy SCOTT L. HINES Staff Writerduces the amount of velocity(debris) has. Most of your in-Schoolchildren marked thebeginning of tornado seasonjuries are caused from flying projectiles such as glass.IfFriday morning with a preparedness drill.Ninness noted the staff canThis week, March 8-12, wasproclaimed Tornado Preparedness Week by Gov. Jim Edgar.A statewide test was helddo more when there is plenty of warning, but he cautioned that tornadoes can start anywhere and can hit with little or nowarning.Tuesday morning, but due to IGAP testing at the Eldorado Unit 4 Schools, the school drillHe noted that the practice ofopening windows and doors when a tornado is approachingwas postponed until Friday.Though most people, emergency personnel included, take such tests in stride, Tuesday’s test of warning sirens in Eldorado paid off.is a myth. He noted that the pressure will not change enough to cause a house to explode. Another myth Ninness mentioned is the hills of Southern IllinoisWhen the early warning sirens were turned on Tuesday, nothing happened. A brokenprotect us from tornadoes. He cited the tornado that destroyed the Rudement Post Office as anexample that hits close to home.
Newspaper Details
Harrisburg Daily Register
Harrisburg, Illinois, US
Sat, Mar 13, 1993
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