Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • Page 2-1

123456 SECTION 2 FRIDAY CHICAGO By Jodi S. Cohen and John Chase Tribune staff reporters Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Thursday for the first time vocally supported a proposal to expand gambling in Illinois, calling for more than double the number of slot machines and other casino games on riverboats but vowing to oppose adding any other casinos in the state, including Chicago. Under fire for not setting aside enough new money for education in last budget address, Blagojevich said increasing the number of gaming positions at existing casinos will generate $300 million that he plans to steer specifically for schools. The governor said that the additional revenue would boost his proposed new spending for prekindergarten through high school by $440 million and that the initiative would help pay for tougher high school graduation requirements he wants institut- ed across the state, including additional years of math, sci- enceand English.

But paying for the school initiative by increasing gambling may open the door in Springfield for talk of a much larger expansion as he and legislators struggle to close a yawning budget gap for the new fiscal year. Senate President Emil Jones, (D-Chicago) who denounced the $140 million in new education funds Blagojevich initially proposed as a has pushed a plan to build more gambling boats in the suburbs and give Mayor Richard Daley the city- owned, land-based casino he covets for downtown. Although some politicians might see new prospects for cutting a deal on gambling, the governor insisted that he would veto any gambling proposal that goes beyond the one he put on the table. will oppose any efforts to Tribune photo by Chuck Berman Deputy Gov. Bradley Tusk (left) chats with Budget Director John Filan while Gov.

Rod Blagojevich discusses school funding. The governor voiced support for a proposal to expand gambling in Illinois to raise $300 million. State gaming expansion backed to fund schools PLEASE SEE GAMING, PAGE7 By Dan Mihalopoulos and Gary Washburn Tribune staff reporters A longtime city contractor falsified a shipping ticket to claim his firm delivered more than 200 blank signs that the city purchased from the company, officials charged Thursday. Unless Chicago United Industries can refute the charges, the company could be banned from getting city con- tractsfor as long as three years. Mayor Richard administration also moved recently to strip Chicago United of its special status as a minority-owned company.

Officials are investigating whether the firm, which contracts with the city to provide fuel and other products, acts as a middleman or broker instead of performing commercially useful Companies that merely act as brokers are not eligible to participate in City affirmative action contracting program, which has been plagued with charges of fraud and favoritism. Chicago United has contracted with the city in recent years to provide a host of disparate items including long underwear for the Department of Human Services, aluminum pedestal bases for traffic signals, salt pellets for the Water Management City says shipper faked tickets Longtime contractor may lose contracts PLEASE SEE MINORITY, PAGE9 By Jamie Francisco Tribune staff reporter The red neon sign that once flashed is gone, and a curtain of blue scaffolding covers the crumbling terra cotta facade of the Hotel LaSalle Garage. Built in 1918, first multilevel parking garage is being demolished. Its facade is set to come down Friday. The garage was designed by Holabird and Roche, the same influential architecture firm that built City Hall.

Preservationists praise it for its Chicago-style architecture and single, elliptical ramp design, an innovation that allowed drivers of Model Ts to get their cars off crowded city streets. But sport-utility vehicles can barely fit in the aging structure. Cars only could travel one way on the single ramp. A staff of 15valets would bring the cars up in the morning and back down at night, a system that signified luxury in the past, but frustrated harried drivers, said Dennis Quinn, who managed the garage for more than 30 years. The Commission on Chicago Landmarks voted last fall against granting the building landmark status, saying the condition of the garage had deteriorated to the point where it could not be saved.

That was a reversal from its initial Hailed for its innovation, but razed as out-of-date Tribune photo by Scott Strazzante The terra cotta face of the garage will be razed Friday. Below, the garage was advertised in Chicago Commerce magazine on July 26, 1924. Downtown garage built in 1918 suited Model Ts but shows age in day of SUVs ARTS REVIEWS NEWS .........................2 HOW TO CONTACT US ............................2 METROPOLITAN DIGEST ........................3 RELIGION ..................................................8 OBITUARIES WEATHER ...............................................12 INSIDE Porch collapse survivor sues city He alleges city partially blamed him for accident in retaliation for criticism of building inspections. PAGE 3 By Crystal Yednak and Courtney Flynn Tribune staff reporters Carriage houses could be making a comeback in some of affluent suburbs. With a Friday deadline for plans to produce more affordable housing in wealthy suburbs, towns have floated ideas such as adding coach houses to multimillion-dollar mansions in an attempt to boost their percentages of moderately priced homes.

But some affluent commu- nities remain indignant at the idea that a new state law pushes them to add affordable housing where the market dictates otherwise. prided ourselves as ahigh-end, low-density said Burr Ridge Village Administrator Steven Stricker. not natural for to be The intent of the affordable housing law, passed by the state legislature in 2003, is to create more housing that allows people like teachers, police officers and nurses to live in the communities where they work, cutting down on Affordable housing law deadline looms Some suburbs balk at state requirements PLEASE SEE AFFORDABLE, PAGE6 By Manya A. Brachear Tribune staff reporter Sarah mother, Myra, was singing in the choir of St. Peter Lutheran Church in 1973 when her water broke, ushering young Sarah into the world.

Later baptized and confirmed at St. Peter as her mother and grandparents had been, Anderson eventually honed her own voice on the hymns of the same Missouri Synod Lutheran church in Arlington Heights. Even after seven years of Army service, stationed in Maryland, Anderson still calls St. Peter her spiritual home. But this week Anderson, a sergeant first class, received an honorable discharge from an unexpected source.

In a letter written on behalf of St. Peter church elders, Rev. Tony Davison told Anderson she was being removed from the membership roster so she could receive the sacraments more regularly at a church home church marches her off its rolls PLEASE SEE CHURCH, PAGE6 PLEASE SEE GARAGE, PAGE7 I there has been a bleaker news season in Chicago, I remember it. For weeks now, through the winds and clouds of winter, the news has been a rat-a-tat-tat of death, violence and assorted strains of heartbreak. why we are proud to announce the debut of April, hereby proclaimed Good News Month.

Here in Good News Month, the birds are twittering, the sky is blue and the sun pours warm honey on our lightly toasted gardens. Come on. look out that window. Be a patriot. Just believe on the news release.

a sample of more Good News coming your way this month: Good News: A boy enters a school with a gun, walks straight to the counseling office and hands it over. been really depressed, and afraid I might hurt he tells a school therapist who knows him well. He is provided with free long-term mental- health care and returns to his stable, loving family. Good News: A man enters a workplace with a gun, walks straight to a friend and hands it over. felt really angry and he says, afraid I might hurt He is provided with free long-term mental- health care and returns to his stable, loving family.

Unbelievably Good News: Near the end of the month, guns mysteriously vanish from the planet. Experts speculate they have disappeared through a hole in the ozone, which is then permanently sealed. Good News: Representatives for Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt announce that the hypercute couplewill renew their wedding vows in a lavish party attended by Courteney Cox, Lindsay Lohan, the Olsen twins and Jesse Jackson. Even Better News: Not an ounce of ink or air time is spilled over this event. Good News: Gas prices do not drop, reminding consumers that the natural resources are precious and finite.

Consequently, more drivers carpool; sport-utility vehicle owners trade up to Honda hybrids; public transportation is improved; and construction begins on high-speed trains to link Chicago with New York, San Francisco, New Orleans and Tahiti. Good News: In an emergency session, Congress unanimously bans the terms and The law reads: these terms have contributed to rancor and stereotyping in our nation, they shall heretofore resume their roles as primary colors and henceforth not be tainted by Good News: A Christian walks into a bar and sits down next to a Muslim, a Jew, a Hindu and an atheist. They all join hands, sing and agree that it is immoral to deride, mock or otherwise disrespect other faiths, unless the joke is so good everyone can laugh. Great News: Due to good education, social services and law enforcement, pedophilia and other forms of sexual abuse are eradicated, bringing joy to everyone except the writers for prime- time TV dramas, who rely on ugly side for ratings. Good News: At a news conference in which he thanks the media for playing watchdog over his administration, Mayor Richard M.

Daley declares an end to cronyism in City Hall. He makes the announcement in precise, mellifluous English that causes British Prime Minister Tony Blair to exclaim, do so wish I spoke as brilliantly as that chap in Really Good News: Daley does no such thing. Like the voters, he knows that Chicago be Chicago without skullduggery and da way da mayor talks. Good News: A 14-year-old runaway, whose father is in jail and whose mother is on drugs, has a baby. While leaving it in a Dumpster, she is spotted by a stranger, who takes her to a social service agency where she is provided with free mental-health care and the chance to finish her education.

The baby is adopted by a stable, loving family. Good News: Baseball ticket prices are reduced. Better News: The Cubs and the Sox launch winning seasons. Incredible News: U.S. troops come home, leaving a stable, democratic society in Iraq.

The Bad News? April Day. Be a patriot. Just believe on the news release. Bad news gives way to a little foolish optimism Mary Schmich.