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Wednesday, November 28, 2012

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Try out these Hanukkah desserts Food, C1

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Charges dropped against Rifkin

services in dekalb county

For better busing

NIU employee: Police chief asked files be removed By JEFF ENGELHARDT jengelhardt@shawmedia.com

SYCAMORE – Sexual assault charges against former Northern Illinois University police officer Andrew Rifkin were dropped Tuesday after more testimony raised questions about the NIU Police Department withholding information. DeKalb County State’s Attorney Clay Campbell called the NIU police’s mishandling of information “egregious” and said he had little confidence all the information in the case had been brought forth by the department. His comments came after hearing of a latenight meeting that took place between NIU police Chief Donald Grady and an information technology specialist to remove personal files from the chief’s laptop. Campbell said he could not put Rifkin’s liberty in jeopardy any longer. “I do not see how I can Andrew allow this prosecution to Rifkin: go forward,” Campbell Former NIU said. “My highest duty police officer as state’s attorney is to has sexual assure justice is done.” assault Rifkin, 24, of North- charges brook, was fired from dismissed. the NIU force Oct. 28, 2011, the same day his accuser came forward with the allegations. She alleged Rifkin had assaulted her at his apartment in Cortland while off-duty. Campbell’s decision to drop the charges came moments after listening to sworn testimony from Haider Thahab, a computer forensic expert with NIU who said Grady called him the night of Nov. 9 and asked to meet him at the police department. Thahab said he removed files from Grady’s laptop and transferred them to a flash drive that night and gave it to Grady. Grady was placed on administrative leave Nov. 10, along with Lt. Kartik Ramakrishnan for failing to report two witness statements that would have aided Rifkin’s defense. Friends of Rifkin’s accuser told officers their friend had an ongoing consensual sexual relationship with Rifkin, but that he had not assaulted her. Despite being banned from the police department, Ramakrishnan also called Thahab on the morning of Nov. 11 and asked to meet with him at the office and remove personal files from his computer. Thahab said Ramakrishnan’s computer access had been blocked at that point, so he could not follow through with the request. Thahab said he did not know what files he removed from Grady’s computer other than documents related to Grady’s book, “The Injustice of Justice.” Jim Fatz, director of NIU information security and operations, also testified Tuesday and said he met with Thahab along with Acting Director of Public Safety Bill Nicklas on Nov. 12 after learning about the meeting.

See CHARGES, page A5

Kyle Bursaw – kbursaw@shawmedia.com

Cindy Bocklund frosts cakes Tuesday in the Voluntary Action Center’s kitchen as Helen Teagues (right) assembles food trays for Meals on Wheels in Sycamore.

Voluntary Action Center plans expansion By JEFF ENGELHARDT jengelhardt@shawmedia.com DeKALB – The DeKalb County Volunteer Action Center could begin work on a $15 million facility this summer that would allow it to offer expanded bus service, including a shuttle to the Elburn Metra Station. Tom Zucker, executive director of the center, said the agency is closer to beginning plans for a 83,000 square-foot facility near the intersection of Peace and County Farm roads. The county has authorized 12 acres of land for the agency’s use and multiple grants have been identified, Zucker said. The facility would be more than six times the size of the existing 13,000 square-foot operation. The increasing demand for services such as Meals on Wheels, transportation to Kishwaukee College and stops at more than 80 locations on DeKalb and Sycamore bus routes have made expansion a necessity, Zucker said. “We’ve known here the facilities have been overcrowded for several years,” Zucker said. “Ultimately, the size of facilities we’re able to build will depend on our ability to raise funds.” VAC has provided public and community transportation services for 38 years, starting in 1974 when it gave 7,111 rides. The or-

Kyle Bursaw – kbursaw@shawmedia.com

A parking lot with all the spaces filled is seen through a full-sized bus that cannot fit inside the Voluntary Action Center’s garage Tuesday in Sycamore. Limited parking and garage space are just a few of the issues VAC currently works around. ganization provided 208,196 rides last year. During the years of increased demand, the agency has operated out of a building that opened in 1988 and was built to house about 25 vehicles, not the 41 in the current fleet. To fund the expansion, Zucker said he has worked with county and city leaders to pursue state and federal grants that would require no local matching funds.

DeKalb has received a $2 million Federal Transit Administration grant that will go toward the project, and both the city and county hope to receive a $3 million Illinois Department of Transportation grant, which would account for $8 million of the $15 million needed. Zucker said he is confident VAC could make up the balance through federal grants as a lobby-

ist with the State Transportation Association is working at no cost to VAC to secure money for the project in the highway bill. “We only targeted grants that do not require local matching funds because most local governments would be hard-pressed to step up and provide that,” Zucker said.

See EXPANSION, page A5

District 428 official says land swap still in works By DAVID THOMAS dthomas@shawmedia.com DeKALB – Although DeKalb School District 428 has withdrawn a proposal to rezone property it intends to swap with homebuilder ShoDeen Construction, the land swap plan is still on track, officials said Tuesday. A public hearing on rezoning part of Kiwanis Park for commer-

cial use scheduled for the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission meeting today was canceled after the school district withdrew the petition Monday. District 428 Superintendent Jim Briscoe said the district had given ShoDeen permission to see how the land, located south of Huntley Middle School and west of the intersection of Fourth Street and Fairview Drive, could be zoned. That will not

happen for the foreseeable future, Briscoe said, in part because district officials do not want people to think the developer already owns the land. “It’s to resolve any confusion from the public about the land,” Briscoe said. Both Briscoe and ShoDeen President David Patzelt said they still want to go ahead with the landswap plan, in which District 428

would trade the roughly 41-acre park for about 34 acres of land ShoDeen owns around DeKalb High School. District officials see the land near the high school as more valuable because it could be used for future expansion. The primary use of the Kiwanis Park property is for community soccer fields.

See LAND SWAP, page A5

Inside today’s Daily Chronicle Lottery Local news Obituaries

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Page A2 • Wednesday, November 28, 2012

8 DAILY PLANNER Today Business Networking International: 8 a.m. at 920 W. Prairie Drive, #M, Sycamore (Ecosteam). Home-schoolers activities: 8:45 to 11:45 a.m. in Sycamore. All ages are welcome to participate in hands-on classes and field trips. Contact: Lisa at 815-748-0896 or gakers@tbc.net. Free Blood Pressure Clinic: 9 to 11 a.m. at Valley West Community Hospital, 11 E. Pleasant Ave., Sandwich. No appointment necessary. 815-786-3962 or www. valleywest.org. WWII Combat Flyers breakfast: 9 a.m. at Sycamore Parkway Restaurant. Any capacity, any branch of the service during World War II welcome. 815-756-2157. Fresh Beginnings AA(C): 9:30 a.m. at DeKalb Area Alano Club, 312 E. Taylor St., DeKalb, 800-4527990; www.dekalbalanoclub.com. Blessing Well food and clothing pantry: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at First Church of the Nazarene, 1051 S. Fourth St. in DeKalb. Meat and food offered, with clothing available in sizes for infants (diapers, too) up to 3X adults. Spanish interpreter also is available. www.dekalbnaz.com. 815758-1588. Donations of nonperishable foods and clothing can be left at any time on the front porch. Kishwaukee Kiwanis: 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Hopkins Park Community Room in DeKalb. www.KishKiwanis.org; contact Amy Polzin at APolzin87@yahoo.com. Exchange Club of DeKalb/Sycamore: Noon to 1 p.m. at Lincoln Inn, DeKalb. Guests are welcome. Call John Hughes at 815-991-5387. Sycamore Rotary Club: Noon at Mitchel Lounge, 355 W. State St. 24 Hour A Day Brown Bag AA(C): 12:05 p.m. at Newman Center, 512 Normal Road, DeKalb, 800-452-7990; www.dekalbalanoclub.com. Kishwaukee Valley Heritage Museum: 1 to 5 p.m. at 622 Park Ave. in Genoa. Call 815-784-5559 for appointments other days. Memories of DeKalb Ag: 2 to 4 p.m. at Nehring Gallery, Suite 204, 111 S. Second St., DeKalb. Free admission and open to all. www. dekalbalumni.org. Consumer Advocacy Council of DeKalb County: 3:45 p.m. at Reality House, 631 S. First St. in DeKalb. All consumers of mental health services and the public welcome at CACDC meetings. Weight Watchers: 5 p.m. weighin, 5:30 p.m. meeting at Weight Watchers Store, 2583 Sycamore Road, (near Aldi) DeKalb. Safe Passage Domestic Violence support group; 815-7565228; www.safepassagedv.org. Came to Believe AA(C): 6 p.m. at DeKalb Area Alano Club, 312 E. Taylor St., DeKalb, 800-452-7990; www.dekalbalanoclub.com. Northern Illinois Reiki Share: 6 to 7 p.m. at Center for Integrative BodyWork, 130 N. Fair St. in Sycamore. RSVP appreciated, not required; www.yourcfib.com, 815899-6000 or info@yourcfib.com. North Avenue Pass It On AA(C): 6:30 p.m. at North Ave. Baptist Church, 301 North Ave., Sycamore, 800-452-7990; www.dekalbalanoclub.com. Cortland Lions Club: 7 p.m. at Lions Shelter House at Cortland Community Park. Visitors and prospective members are welcome. 815-756-4000. Narcotics Anonymous: 7 to 8 p.m. at United Church of Christ, 615 N. First St. in DeKalb. 815-9645959. www.rragsna.org. Sycamore Lions Club: 7 p.m. at MVP’s Regale Center, 124 1⁄2 S. California St., Sycamore. For service-minded men and women. www.sycamorelions.org; contact Jerome Perez at Sycamorejerry@ comcast.net or 815-501-0101. Bingo Night: 7:15 p.m. at Sycamore Veterans Home, 121 S. California St. 815-895-2679. Greater Kishwaukee Band rehearsals: 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Huntley Middle School, South Seventh and Taylor streets in DeKalb. No auditions necessary; the band is open to wind or percussion instrumentalists age 18 and older. 815-8994867 or 815-825-2350. Any Lengths Beginners AA(C): 8 p.m. at Federated Church, 612 W. State St., Sycamore, 800-4527990; www.dekalbalanoclub.com. Celebration Chorale practices: 8 p.m. Wednesdays at First United Methodist Church, 321 Oak St., DeKalb. Singers are invited. For more information, call Sally at 815739-6087. Hopefuls AA(C): 8 p.m. at DeKalb Area Alano Club, 312 E. Taylor St., DeKalb, 800-452-7990; www.dekalbalanoclub.com.

Daily Chronicle / Daily-Chronicle.com

8 WHAT’S HAPPENING AT DAILY-CHRONICLE.COM? Yesterday’s most-commented stories:

Yesterday’s most-viewed stories:

1. Groce announces candidacy for DeKalb mayor 2. Our view: Pension reform no cartoon caper 3. District 428 official says land swap still on

1. Groce announces candidacy for DeKalb mayor 2. Police still awaiting test results in NIU fraternity death 3. Two injured in car crash at Peace and Freed

Yesterday’s Reader Poll results:

Today’s Reader Poll question:

Have you noticed food prices increasing? Yes: 86 percent No: 14 percent

Total votes: 145

Vol. 134 No. 222

Do you think your property taxes should go up while your property value declines? • Yes, governments depend on the revenue • No, they should stay the same • No, when values fall, taxes should fall

Vote online at Daily-Chronicle.com

Protests challenge Egypt’s leader The Associated Press CAIRO – More than 200,000 people thronged Cairo’s central Tahrir Square, protesting against Egypt’s Islamist president Tuesday in an opposition show of strength, as the standoff over Mohammed Morsi’s assertion of nearabsolute powers escalated into the biggest challenge yet to his and the Muslim Brotherhood’s rule. The massive, flag-waving, chanting crowd in the iconic plaza rivaled the size of some of the large protests of last year’s uprising that drove autocrat Hosni Mubarak from office. The same chants used against Mubarak were now turned against Egypt’s first freely elected leader. “The people want to bring down the regime,” and “erhal, erhal” – Arabic for “leave, leave,” rang across the square. Protests in Tahrir and several other cities Tuesday were sparked by edicts issued by Morsi last week that effectively neutralized the judiciary, the last branch of government he does not control. But it turned into a broader outpouring of anger against Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood, which opponents say have used election victories to monopolize power, squeeze out

AP photo

A protester holds a placard against the Egyptian president at an opposition rally Tuesday in Tahrir Square in Cairo. Thousands flocked to Cairo’s central Tahrir square on Tuesday for a protest against Egypt’s president in a significant test of whether the opposition can rally the street behind it in a confrontation aimed at forcing the Islamist leader to rescind decrees that granted him near absolute powers. rivals, and dictate a new, Islamist constitution, while doing little to solve Egypt’s mounting economic and security woes. Clashes broke out in several cities as Morsi opponents tried to attack offices of the Brotherhood, setting fire to at least one. At least 100 people were injured when protesters and Brotherhood members protecting their office pelted each other with stones and firebombs in the Nile Delta city of Mahalla el-Kobra. “Power has exposed the Brotherhood. We discovered their true face,” said Laila Salah, a housewife in the Tahrir protest who said she voted for Morsi in

this summer’s presidential election. After Mubarak, she said, Egyptians would no longer consent to an autocrat. “It’s like a wife whose husband was beating her and then she divorces him and becomes free,” she said. “If she remarries she’ll never accept another day of abuse.” Gehad el-Haddad, a senior adviser to the Brotherhood and its political party, said Morsi would not back down on his edicts. “We are not rescinding the declaration,” he told The Associated Press. That sets the stage for a drawn-out battle between the two sides that could

throw the nation into greater turmoil. Protest organizers on a stage in the square called for another mass rally Friday. If the Brotherhood responds with mass rallies of its own, as some of its leaders have hinted, it would raise the prospect of greater violence after a series of clashes between the two camps in recent days. A tweet by the Brotherhood warned that if the opposition was able to bring out 200,000 to 300,000 “they should brace for millions in support” or Morsi. Another flashpoint could come Sunday, when the constitutional court is scheduled to rule on whether to dissolve the assembly writing the new constitution, which is dominated by the Brotherhood and Islamist allies. Morsi’s edicts explicitly banned the courts from disbanding the panel. If the court defies him and rules anyway, it would be a direct challenge that could spill over into the streets. “Then we are in the face of the challenge between the supreme court and the presidency,” said Nasser Amin, head of the Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession. “We are about to enter a serious conflict” on both the legal and street level, he said.

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Missed paper? We hope not. But if you did and you live in the immediate area, please call Customer Service at 800-589-9363 before 10 a.m. daily. We will deliver your Daily Chronicle as quickly as possible. If you have questions or suggestions, complaints or praise, please send to: Circulation Dept., 1586 Barber Greene Road, DeKalb, IL 60115. To become a carrier, call ext. 2468. Copyright 2012 Published daily by Shaw Media. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION Daily: $.75 / issue Sunday: $1.50 / issue Basic weekly rate: $5.25 Basic annual rate: $273 PUBLISHER Don T. Bricker dbricker@shawmedia.com NEWSROOM Eric Olson Editor eolson@shawmedia.com News: ext. 2257 news@daily-chronicle.com Obituaries: ext. 2228 obits@daily-chronicle.com Photo desk: ext. 2265 photo@daily-chronicle.com Sports desk: ext. 2224 sports@daily-chronicle.com Fax: 815-758-5059 ADVERTISING Karen Pletsch Advertising and Marketing Director kpletsch@shawmedia.com Display Advertising: ext. 2217 Fax: 815-756-2079 Classified Advertising: 815-787-7861 Toll-free: 877-264-2527 CIRCULATION Kara Hansen VP of Marketing and Circulation khansen@shawmedia.com BUSINESS OFFICE Billing: 815-526-4585 Fax: 815-477-4960

8 TODAY’S TALKER

8CORRECTIONS

Suit targets ‘locator’ chips in student IDs

Accuracy is important to the Daily Chronicle, and we want to correct mistakes promptly. Please call errors to our attention by phone, 815-756-4841, ext. 2257; email, news@daily-chronicle.com; or fax, 815-758-5059.

By PAUL J. WEBER The Associated Press AUSTIN, Texas – To 15-year-old Andrea Hernandez, the tracking microchip embedded in her student ID card is a “mark of the beast,” sacrilege to her Christian faith – not to mention how it pinpoints her location, even in the school bathroom. But to her budget-reeling San Antonio school district, those chips carry a potential $1.7 million in classroom funds. Starting this fall, the fourth-largest school district in Texas is experimenting with “locator” chips in student ID badges on two of its campuses, allowing administrators to track the whereabouts of 4,200 students with GPS-like precision. Hernandez’s refusal to participate isn’t a twist on teenage rebellion, but has launched a debate over privacy and religion that has forged rare likemindedness between typically opposing groups. When Hernandez and her parents balked at the so-called SmartID, the school agreed to remove the chip but still required her to wear the badge. The family refused on religious grounds, stating in a lawsuit that even wearing the badge was tantamount to “submission of a false god” because the card still indicated her participation. Today, a state district judge is expected to decide whether Northside Independent School District can transfer Hernandez to a different campus. “How often do you see an issue where the ACLU and Christian fundamentalists come together? It’s unusual,” said Chris Steinbach, the chief of staff for a Republican state lawmaker who has filed a bill to outlaw the technology in Texas schools. The concept isn’t new, but hasn’t exactly caught on nationwide. In 2005, the American Civil Liberties Union raised concerns about a similar initiative at a California school. That same year, a suburban Houston school district began putting the chips

8DID YOU WIN? Illinois Lottery Tuesday Pick 3-Midday: 1-3-4 Pick 3-Evening: 1-1-9 Pick 4-Midday: 2-2-7-2 Pick 4-Evening: 2-8-0-4 Lucky Day Lotto: 1-16-25-29-37 Lotto jackpot: $5.25 million

Mega Millions Numbers not available by press time Mega jackpot: $49 million

Powerball AP photo

Kayla Saucedo, an eighth-grader at Anson Jones Middle School, uses her new ID card to check out a book Oct. 1 in the library in San Antonio. The San Antonio school district’s website was hacked over the weekend to protest its policy requiring students to wear microchip-embedded cards tracking their every move on campus. All students at Anson Jones Middle School are required to carry identification cards embedded with a microchip. They are tracked by the dozens of electronic readers installed in the schools’ ceiling panels. in its student IDs, and served as the blueprint for Northside’s pilot program that began this fall. Ronald Stephens, executive director of the nonprofit National School Safety Center, said he didn’t believe the technology to be widespread but predicted “it’ll be the next wave” in schools. The chips use radio-frequency identification transmitters and only work on campus. The Northside school district spent about $261,000 to equip students at one high school and one middle school with SmartIDs, a decision made with safety and efficiency in mind, said district spokesman Pascual Gonzalez. Imagine quickly accounting for students in the event of a lockdown, he said, or cafeteria lines moving faster as scanners instantly identify who’s picking up that lunch tray. Yet the biggest motivation was financial. In Texas, school funding is based on daily attendance. The more students

seated in homeroom when the first bell rings, the more state dollars the school receives. If a student is lingering in the hallway or the library when roll is called, the marked absence hurts the school’s bottom line. But with the locator chips – the district doesn’t like to call them “tracking” – a clerk in the main office can find out if a student is elsewhere on campus, and if so, include them in the attendance count. Every student found amounts to another $30 in funding, based on the school’s calculations. In that way, those moving red dots that represent students on the clerk’s computer screen are like finding change in the couch cushions. Gonzalez said the district has estimated another $1.7 million in funding if the program delivers on expectations, somewhat lessening the sting of losing $61.5 million after state lawmakers cut public school funding in Texas by nearly $5 billion last year.

Powerball jackpot: $500 million

8IN BRIEF Record Powerball result of changes to boost sales

DES MOINES, Iowa – The historic Powerball jackpot boosted to $500 million Tuesday was all part of a plan lottery officials put in place early this year to build jackpots faster, drive sales and generate more money for states that run the game. Their plan appears to be working. Powerball tickets doubled in price in January to $2, and while the number of tickets sold initially dropped, sales revenue has increased by about 35 percent during 2011. Sales for Powerball reached a record $3.96 billion in fiscal 2012 and are expected to reach $5 billion this year, said Chuck Strutt, executive director of the Des Moines, Iowa-based Multi-State Lottery Association, the group that runs the Powerball game.

– Wire report

local

Daily Chronicle / Daily-Chronicle.com

Wednesday, November 28, 2012 • Page A3

DeKalb gives first approval to property tax levy By DAVID THOMAS dthomas@shawmedia.com DeKALB – The DeKalb City Council gave initial approval Monday for setting its property tax levy request at $9.67 million, meaning that a property owner would pay 79 cents for each $100 for their property’s equalized assessed value. Residents paid 72 cents per $100 on their 2011 bills, which were paid in 2012. Only Fifth Ward Alderman Ronald Naylor disagreed with

raising property taxes above the amount the council set last year. Sixth Ward Alderman Dave Baker was not present at the meeting. “I’d like the levy to stay where it was, so we can truly say we’re not raising taxes,” Naylor said. Monday night’s vote was not the final action. The council will vote on the issue again at its Dec. 10 meeting. The council is required by law to file its ordinance with the city clerk by the last Tuesday in December.

The aldermen had previously set the ceiling for a property tax levy at $9.67 million, and were given two options by city staff to set the request at either $9.67 million or $9.63 million – the amount the city levied last year. Although the 2012 levy is $40,000 higher, the increase is needed to capture revenue from new construction in the city, Second Ward Alderman Tom Teresinski said. “That new construction is being incentivized by us and we never capture it,”

Voice your opinion Do you think your property taxes should go up while your property value declines? Vote online at Daily-Chronicle.com Teresinski said, referring to past council decision to keep the rate flat. Laura Pisarcik, the city’s finance director, said by capturing revenue from new construction, most of which is commercial, the council is

District 427 approves tax levy request By JOHN BACHMANN jbachmann@shawmedia.com SYCAMORE – The Sycamore School District 427 Board unanimously approved a $24.8 million tax levy request Tuesday night. This year’s levy request will add about $800,000 in property tax revenue to next year’s school budget. About $113,000 of that will come from new construction. Before the proposed property tax increase went to a vote, Luke Glowiak, assistant superintendent for business, said this was an important decision to make. “This is the only opportu-

nity for the board to request funds from a tax,” he said. Glowiak said taxes on property are the only tax the district can levy under state law. The board’s initial request comes to 5.59 percent increase over last year’s tax extension. Glowiak said that although that is the amount the district is requesting, they probably will receive something less. “While the board has requested 5.59 percent, we anticipate the actual increase will be down in the neighborhood of 3.5 [percent] to 4 percent,” he said. Glowiak added that last

year’s increase was a little less than 3 percent. Taxing bodies commonly levy for more money than they expect to receive in order to capture all funds from new construction. Although it’s possible the tax rate for property owners will go up, the amount of taxes they pay should stay about the same or might even go down. “This is because the value of property is going down,” Glowiak said. Superintendent Kathy Countryman said the approved levy request would go into the district’s budget. It will be decided later how

the revenue will be spent. The district’s budget for this school year includes a $2.6 million deficit, and education fund reserves are expected to drop to $7.1 million as a result. Regarding the approval, Countryman said that any additional funds for the district would be utilized in a mindful and careful way. She also said she’s appreciative of the support that district has had from the community on the approval. Glowiak said the next step from this meeting will be the DeKalb County Clerk to decide the final value the district will receive next year.

not putting a lot of the burden on homeowners. On average, property values in the city have fallen 8 percent, but residential property values have fallen 11 percent, Pisarcik said. The city uses property tax revenue to fund pensions of city staff, police officers and firefighters. The $9.67 million request would be able to fund all the police and fire pensions, and 45 percent of the pensions of city staff. The other 55 percent will have to be made up from one of the city’s

other funds, she said. Jim Kayes, president of the DeKalb Police Pension Board, served as a warning siren for incoming higher pensions costs during Monday’s public hearing. However, the city can soften the blow by paying more in the present than in the future. “If you don’t pay for it in the front end, you’re going to pay for it in the back end,” Kayes said. “I want to encourage you to continue the direction you’re going in because it is an improvement.”

“We never want a child to feel unloved in our program. They are people we truly care about.” Courtney Dennis BBBS director

Big Brothers Big Sisters still needs 21 more helpers ‘30 Men in 30 Days’ recruits 9 mentors to help local children By DAVID THOMAS dthomas@shawmedia.com

David Thomas - dthomas@shawmedia.com

A worker uses a skid loader to clear trees Tuesday along a nature trail near Sycamore Road as part of ComEd’s efforts to prevent vegetation from interfering with power lines.

ComEd doing tree maintenance along bike path By DAVID THOMAS dthomas@shawmedia.com DeKALB – The workers clearing trees and brush that people using the nature trail between First Street and Sycamore Road saw Tuesday were doing the work on behalf of ComEd, utility officials said. Workers have been clearing the area near power lines that run between Sycamore and First. ComEd spokeswoman Krissy Posey said they are following state and federal law

by removing and trimming Schwanke often walks her servation and education ortrees next to electric power dog. Schwanke described the ganization, has “recognized lines along Sycamore Road. work as “devastating,” and ComEd’s approach and phi“This routine tree main- said what she saw was like “a losophy for balancing public tenance is critical to main- bomb went off.” safety and reliability while taining proper electrical “I think they’re going protecting and preserving clearances that ensure public to lose a piece of beauty,” trees for the past 13 years safety and electrical reliabil- Schwanke said. through its Tree Line USA ity,” Posey said. Schwanke said she drives Utility recognition program.” An on-site manager for out from Cortland regularly She added that the treeAsplundh Tree Expert Co. to walk her dog there. cutting would allow more declined to comment, asking “People walk it in all the natural grasses to return to that all questions be directed seasons,” Schwanke said. the area. Home Delivery Delivery to ComEd Public Affairs. “The trees block the cold windHome The prairie path is formalCall 800-589-9363 and Call 800-589-9363 and about our special rates. ask about our special rates. The trees Asplundhask workin the dead of winter.” ly called the Nature Trail, and ers were clearing ran along Posey said the Arbor Day it runs between Sycamore a prairie path where Lois Y Foundation, a nonprofit con- Road and North First Street. our Y our Community Community Connection. Connection. Call

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DeKALB – The local Big Brothers Big Sisters program was looking to get 30 men to volunteer as big brothers in 30 days. BBBS Director Courtney Denison said their “30 Men in 30 Days” initiative drew nine male volunteers, which is not enough people to mentor the 30 boys on their waiting list. “Instead of asking for money around Christmas, we’re asking for the commitment of time to a child,” Denison said. Denison said they rolled out the program fairly quickly in response to the success of a similar initiative in McHenry County. But Denison said she realized that DeKalb County has fewer marketing opportunities than McHenry County. In DeKalb County, BBBS operates out of the Family Service Agency at 14 Health Services Drive in DeKalb. The last event of the program was Monday’s Buffalo Wild Wings dinner, at which potential male mentors would eat free if they signed up. Denison said that although many people showed up carrying coupons that had a portion of the night’s proceeds go to the agency, no one signed up to be a volunteer. Denison said the average time the 30 boys have been

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waiting for a big brother is about a year. “We don’t match on a firstcome, first-served basis,” Denison said, adding that they match up a big brother’s interests with a little brother’s. “There’s a lot of things that come into the play.” The average age of little brothers in the program is between 7 and 13 years old, with most of them coming from single-mother homes, Denison said. “A lot of them started out in the program saying they need a strong male role model ... but now they’re taking anyone,” Denison said. “It’s not that the parents are bad, but it’s that they need someone else to talk to.” Denison said they have had volunteers who were college students, married men with children of their own, and seniors with no children all become big brothers. “All of them are wonderful in their own way,” Denison said. Until they re-launch “30 Men in 30 Days,” Denison said the staff at BBBS will have to step up and try to take some of the children under their wing. The staff at BBBS, however, is Denison and one other person. This arrangement can lead to long work hours, but Denison said it is necessary. “We never want a child to feel unloved in our program,” Denison said. “They are people we truly care about.”