75 cents
Breaking news at Daily-Chronicle.com
Serving DeKalb County since 1879
Monday, May 27, 2013
BOYS TRACK • SPORTS, B1
PREP BASEBALL • SPORTS, B1
Sycamore’s Dion Hooker 200-meter state champ
Jordan’s home runs lift Spartans to regional title
Police analyze call log, case load
‘Make every moment count’
By DAVID THOMAS dthomas@shawmedia.com DeKALB – The number of emergency calls to DeKalb police increased 11 percent last year, while the number of serious crimes dropped 6 percent and the number of less serious crimes increased 8 percent. Chief Gene Lowery will present the department’s annual report to the DeKalb City Council and the public during the council’s meeting Tuesday. He chalked up many of the increased numbers to If you go the proactive policing the n What: DeKalb d e p a r t m e n t City Council has been do- meeting ing. n When: For exam- Special joint City ple, Lowery Council meeting p o i n t e d t o with its Finance the number Committee at of traffic cita6 p.m. Regular tions alleging City Council driving unmeeting at 7 der the influence. In 2010, p.m. Tuesday DeKalb offi- n Where: cers issued DeKalb Munici133 citations. pal Building, 200 In 2011, that S. Fourth St., number rose DeKalb to 157. In 2012, it rose to 229. “When I see an increase [like that], that’s police proactive activity,” Lowery said. “That could be random, but my experience is that we’re putting the police where we need to be.” In 2012, DeKalb officers answered 40,908 calls for service, and 21,251 emergency calls, which Lowery said was challenging for his officers. From 2011 to 2012, there was a 6 percent decrease in serious crimes, which includes reported homicides, robberies, criminal sexual assaults, and arsons. In 2010, there were 1,484 reported serious crimes, which increased in 2011 to 1,656 before dropping to 1,556 in 2012.
Photos by Rob Winner – rwinner@shawmedia.com
Class valedictorian David Emmert speaks during Sycamore High School’s commencement Sunday afternoon.
Sycamore High School graduates remember prank, closeness By FELIX SARVER fsarver@shawmedia.com
S
ycamore High School Class of 2013’s senior prank was one of the most memorable moments in John Cavanaugh’s years teaching the recent graduates. The chairman of the math department recalled a well-organized prank where students went back inside the school after graduation practice and skated in the hallways on skateboards. The prank showed how close the students were, he said. “These guys would work with anyone,” Cavanaugh said. Parents, faculty and staff gathered Sunday at Sycamore High School to watch 302 seniors receive their diplomas. During his speech, class valedictorian David Emmert questioned the notion of whether high school was the best years of the students’ lives. “Who’s to say that all this enjoyment has to stop here?” Emmert said. “Be-
cause we don’t. We decided that we’re going to make every moment count.” Senior Jessica Johnson said she was sad about graduating and seeing everyone go their separate ways. “I liked the environment and my teachers,” Johnson said. Her parents also were sad, as she is the last of their children to graduate. She came to her graduation wearing her brother’s cap and gown. Sycamore Principal Tim Carlson calls the Class of 2013 “the Golden Rule kids.” The students would challenge the faculty appropriately in an effort to improve the school, Carlson said. They were the type of students who would embrace and guide the freshmen rather than ostracize them, he said. “If we had a group like this every year, our life would be very easy,” Carlson said.
See SYCAMORE, page A4
Mitchell Jordan (left) and David Scholz wait for their graduation ceremony to start Sunday in a hallway near the field house at Sycamore High School.
More graduation coverage • Hinckley-Big Rock Class of 2013 like ‘brothers and sisters.’ PAGE A3 • For more on area high schools’ graduations, visit Daily-Chronicle.com.
See POLICE, page A4
Illinois legislators weigh gay marriage as vote looms By REGINA GARCIA CANO The Associated Press SPRINGFIELD – With the General Assembly nearing the end of its spring session, gay rights advocates are vowing to call a vote at any moment to make Illinois the 13th state to embrace samesex marriage. When the year began,
proponents were pushing to make Illinois the first state in the Midwest to etch gay marriage into law, just two years after approving civil unions. But since the Illinois Senate voted in favor on Valentine’s Day, it’s remained unclear whether supporters are one or a dozen votes shy of the 60 needed to pass it in the Illinois House.
Sponsoring Rep. Greg Harris of Chicago has been coy about the vote count. Gov. Pat Quinn supports the idea and invited lawmakers to send him a bill to sign. In the meantime, three other states have adopted gay marriage – Minnesota, Delaware and Rhode Island. Lobbying has taken a fierce tone: Advocates have
brought television stars to the Capitol, spread letters from supportive business executives and heard testimony from pastors. Opponents have spoken out from the pulpit, on the radio and through waves of robocalls. Here are some key questions lawmakers are weighing as they make their decisions:
Who supports the legislation? The Illinois Unites for Marriage coalition – led by three gay-rights advocacy groups – is among the driving forces behind the bill. In addition to Quinn, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan is among Democrats in support. U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, the state’s top elected Republican, also
Inside today’s Daily Chronicle Lottery Local news Obituaries
A2 A2-4 A4
National and world news Opinions Sports
supports the proposal, as does outgoing state Republican Chairman Pat Brady.
Who opposes the legislation? The bill has faced fierce opposition from religious organizations and other groups that believe same-sex marriages undermine the sanctity
See GAY MARRIAGE page A4
Weather A2, A4-5 A7 B1-4
Advice Comics Classified
B5 B6 B7-8
High:
70
Low:
62