MIKE ESPY WILL SPEAK AT SHAWNEE

ULLIN, Ill. -- U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy will be keynote speaker at a Democrat coalition jamboree on tap at Shawnee Community College July 24.

Espy's address will highlight a day of speeches by state, county and national office holders and Democratic candidates for statewide elections, including those seeking the governor's office in 1994.

Activities are being sponsored by the Lower Five Counties Democrat Coalition, which was formed this spring by Democratic chairmen of Alexander, Pulaski, Union, Johnson and Massac counties. The purpose of the coalition is to elect Democrat candidates in the lower five counties of Illinois, said Lamar Houston, a member of the coalition.

"We feel fortunate to have Espy as our keynote speaker," said Houston. "He will arrive in the area about 4 p.m. July 24, and will visit an area farm before appearing at Shawnee College for a 6:30 dinner address."

Tickets for the dinner are $10, and may be obtained by contacting Houston at 618-747-2672.

Espy is the 25th U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. Prior to being appointed to the post in January of this year, he represented the second district of Mississippi in the U.S. House.

Espy was first elected to the House in 1986, where he served on the Agriculture and Budget Committees. He was chairman of the domestic Hunger Task Force, the Lower Mississippi Delta Caucus, and the National Resources, Community and Economic Development Task Force of the House Budget Committee.

He was also Majority Whip at Large.

Espy, a native of Yazoo City, Miss., is a graduate of Howard University in Washington D.C., and has a law degree from Santa Clara Law School in Santa Clara, Calif.

As secretary of agriculture, Espy administers programs to maintain America's safe and reasonable priced supply of food and fiber while protecting and preserving the nation's soil and water resources.

In addition to managing farm programs, Espy's mission includes domestic food assistance, research and education, agricultural marketing, meat and poultry inspection, forestry, rural development and any other areas vital to the lives of all Americans.