Decatur attorney Mark Bradley did not file nominating petitions by the Monday deadline to run as an independent candidate for Macon County state's attorney.

Bradley said consideration for his wife made him decide to forgo the campaign.

"My wife works in the (state's attorney's) office, and I don't want to submit her to five months of Jack Ahola's shenanigans," Bradley said Tuesday during a stop at the Herald & Review. He did not elaborate on what he believed the incumbent might do.

Bradley would have had to gather more than 1,700 signatures of registered voters on nominating petitions to place his name on the ballot.

A former assistant state's attorney who resigned in March, Bradley sought to run as the Green Party candidate for state's attorney. He was removed from the Nov. 4 general election ballot by the Macon County Electoral Board. It ruled he was improperly appointed to the ballot by the Green Party.

Bradley sought a judicial review of the electoral board's decision. Circuit Judge A.G. Webber IV upheld the electoral board's finding.

Bradley declined to say whether he will seek to appeal that ruling to the 4th District Illinois Appellate Court.

The Decatur City Council recently ranked the most important capital projects it would like to tackle.

Now, city leaders will seek state funds to help complete the undertakings. Many of the projects won't be cheap.

Top priorities identified by the council include:

* $15 million to build a new building for Decatur police

* $3.6 million to improve the underpass on Brush College Road

* $2.5 million to install permanent pumping and piping equipment at Lake Tokorozawa

* $850,000 to improve the intersection at Brush College Road and William Street Road

* $4.5 million to secure a 5 million-gallon treated water storage tank

* $4.5 million to lower the water intakes at Lake Decatur

* $1 million to rehabilitate concrete street joints

* $2 million to reconstruct city streets

* $1.1 million to extend the sanitary sewers on East Court

* $1.5 million to rehabilitate brick streets.

Infrastructure improvements, though not always glamorous, are essential for economic development and the community's quality of life, Mayor Michael Carrigan said.

"To me, this is extremely important," Carrigan said. "The infrastructure is the backbone of our community. Water, sewers, roads: That's what city government has to do."

Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, has a proposed multibillion-dollar capital improvements bill bottled up in the House in a dispute with Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago, over how to fund the program.

Unless something happens to break that log jam, state assistance in funding projects will be like hens' teeth: hard to find.

U.S. Rep. Phil Hare, D-Rock Island, already is planning his second telephone town hall meeting after his initial effort Monday drew about 3,600 callers from throughout the 17th Congressional District.

Hare answered questions on a range of issues. Among them were flooding, education, energy, veterans affairs and the war in Iraq.

"I was amazed how many people took time out of their busy schedules to participate in my telephone town hall," Hare said in a news release. "I found their input to be extremely valuable and look forward to doing it again soon."

The next call-in session is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, July 14. Details of how to participate will be announced closer to the date.

The big guns are being hauled out early in the race for the 18th Congressional District seat being vacated next year by Republican Ray LaHood of Peoria.

U.S. House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, D-Md., will lead a rally for Colleen Callahan, the 18th District Democratic candidate, from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday at the UAW Hall, 3025 Springfield Road, East Peoria.

The district is centered on Peoria but stretches south to include the northwest portion of Macon County and portions of Decatur.

Callahan is facing state Rep. Aaron Schock, R-Peoria, in the Nov. 4 general election.

Ron Ingram can be reached at ringram@herald-review.com or 421-7973. Mike Frazier can be reached at mfrazier@herald-review.com or 421-7985.