ILLINOIS PROJECTS INCLUDE ANNA VETERANS HOME

ANNA, Ill. -- Gov. Jim Edgar has announced approval of 75 capital projects totaling almost $84.5 million.

"The projects on this list continue to place an emphasis on using our resources to protect the state's investment by repairing and improving existing facilities and building new facilities," he said.

On the list is $3.4 million for construction of a new veterans center in Anna. Construction is expected to get under way within two months on the 39,000-square-foot center, with completion expected within 15 months.

The veterans home will provide skilled nursing care for veterans.

The facility will be on a 16-acre tract near the Clyde Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center, and will be a 60-bed facility 50 beds for skilled nursing care and 10 for residential care patients. Plans call for 23 two-bed rooms and four single-bed rooms.

The governor said there are more than 71,000 veterans now living in Southern Illinois.

"Because of the proximity of three major wars World War II, the Korean conflict, and the war in Vietnam the need for nursing care for veterans is expected to increase for the next two decades," said Edgar. "The home here will meet the needs of veterans from Southern Illinois who now must travel too far from their home towns to receive adequate care in homes operated by the Department of Veteran Affairs."

The state operates three other veteran homes at Quincy, Manteno and LaSalle.

The projects announced also include $1.7 million to renovate Wheeler Hall at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. Work to be done includes roof repair and other measures to stop deterioration.

When completed, Wheeler Hall will house SIU's Medical Education Preparatory Program, which helps foreign and minority students prepare for medical school.

The projects represent the third group of capital projects released by the Spending Control Committee and bring the total to 200 projects amounting to more than $116.9 million.

The committee, which will continue to review requests for other projects periodically, was established in January as part of the governor's plan to more effectively manage the state's capital program and to reduce the fiscal year 1991 bond sales by $80 million, to an affordable $650 million, the governor's office said.