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Indian Creek sees upcoming tournament as opportunity Garrison Govig
Monday, January 28, 2013
national guard Armory • NEWS, A3
Artillery unit opens doors to the public
New rules govern media in courts Judge expected to approve policies for county circuit today By JILLIAN DUCHNOWSKI jduchnowski@shawmedia.com
SYCAMORE – Imagine seeing the look on Billy Curl’s face when he learns the verdict in a trial on allegations he murdered Northern Illinois University freshman Antinette “Toni” Keller in October 2010. That image could be shown on news stations and in newspapers under new rules 23rd Judicial
Circuit Chief Judge Tim McCann is expected to sign today. The circuit, which comprises DeKalb and Kendall counties, was accepted last week into the Illinois Supreme Court’s pilot program allowing media to record and photograph inside local courtrooms in most instances. DeKalb County State’s Attorney Richard Schmack is a little concerned about maintaining jurors’ privacy – the program pro-
Icy weather sweeping through the county At a glance Air temperatures were expected to rise above freezing by Sunday evening, but the ground was expected to remain below freezing, allowing the rain to freeze on contact. Drivers and pedestrians were advised to be aware of slippery roads and sidewalks.
expect to apply for the program this spring after tweaking rules a joint committee created before DeKalb and Kendall counties split off from the 16th Judicial Circuit, leaving only Kane County in that circuit, McCann said. News photographers aren’t allowed to pop into any courtroom they desire whenever they want, though. The law prohibits media
See COURTS, page A4
• No capturing images of jurors • No recording sex abuse victims’ testimony without their consent • No recording non-public conversations among judges, attorneys and their clients • No recording during court recesses • No recording, in most situations, of victim testimony involving forcible felonies • No recording, in most situations, of police informants, undercover agents and relocated witnesses • No recording of juvenile, divorce, adoption, child custody, evidence suppression or trade secret cases.
New treatment
Sycamore brings water facility into 21st century
By DAVID THOMAS dthomas@shawmedia.com DeKALB – Drivers were advised to be careful as DeKalb County was hit with freezing rain Sunday. The National Weather Service placed northern Illinois and northwest Indiana under a freezing rain advisory until 9 p.m. Sunday. With the icy rain accumulating to a couple tenths of an inch, drivers and pedestrians were advised to be aware of slippery roads and sidewalks. If left untreated, these roads and sidewalks could turn into “sheets of ice,” the National Weather Service statement said. Air temperatures were expected to rise above freezing by the early evening, but the ground was expected to remain below freezing, allowing the rain to freeze on contact. The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office said the roads were
See WEATHER, page A4
Fraud concerns linger over new Ill. license law The ASSOCIATED PRESS
Gov. Pat Quinn signed an Illinois measure into law Sunday that would give illegal immigrants permission to drive.
hibits taking any images of them – but overall said he believed the program would be implemented well here. “It will be good for the public to see what do we really do rather than fictional, choreographed trials,” Schmack said. DeKalb County and 27 others in Illinois have been accepted into the pilot program the Illinois Supreme Court started about a year ago. Kane County judicial leaders
The basics
CHICAGO – As Illinois becomes the fourth and most populous state to give illegal immigrants permission to drive, nagging concerns remain about whether there are enough safeguards to avoid the identity fraud and other pitfalls other states faced. Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn signed Illinois’ measure into law Sunday in Chicago. Backers, including Quinn, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and some of the state’s top Republicans, tout it as a public-safety measure. They argue that required
Photos by Kyle Bursaw – kbursaw@shawmedia.com
Fred Busse, director of Sycamore Public Works, points to some of the wastewater treatment plant’s digesters and aerator tanks Wednesday in Sycamore. The existing tanks are about 35 years old and additional tanks are part of the renovation plan for the plant.
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By JEFF ENGELHARDT jengelhardt@shawmedia.com
S
YCAMORE – Clean water does not come cheap or easy. With equipment more than 35 years old, Sycamore will embark on a roughly $10 million upgrade to its wastewater treatment plant on North Cross Street to ensure the cleanliness of the Kishwaukee River and help keep disease at bay. Public Works Director Fred Busse said sewage has always been a threat to spread disease, which is why it is important to stay updated with the most effective technology. The city plans to do just that with the addition of equipment, such as sequencing batch reactors and ultraviolet light for water disinfection. “The equipment we have is 35 years old, and it’s really meant to only last about 20,” Busse said. “It’s important we
Check out a photo gallery DailyChronicle.com. More efficient process
The older blowers, which push air into the tanks in Sycamore’s wastewater treatment plant, are shown. Some newer models have been added in another part of the plant during an earlier phase of the renovations. get that replaced, and it makes more sense to bring in new equipment instead of retrofitting or converting what we already have.” Although residents will not see much difference from the city’s $10 million investment,
Busse said the treated water discharged into the Kishwaukee would be cleaner and the facility’s capacity would increase from about 3 million gallons a day to about 5 million ennabling the city to accommodate future growth.
Keeping everything from garbage ground up in a disposal to chemicals such as phosphorous out of the water system is a roundabout process. In the existing system, Busse said sewage passes through preliminary screening that removes larger debris such as toilet paper, which is then separated and sent to a landfill. The water then goes through aeration tanks where solid waste begins to separate from the water. The water then moves to clarifiers before continuing to a tank to be treated with liquid bleach only to be
See WATER, page A3
“The equipment we have is 35 years old and it’s really meant to only last about 20. It’s important we get that replaced, and it makes more sense to bring in new equipment instead of retrofitting or converting what we already have.” Fred Busse, Public Works director for Sycamore
See LICENSES, page A3
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