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Serving DeKalb County since 1879
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
NIU FOOTBALL • spOrTs, B1
yeAr OF The sNAke • FOOd, C1
Kill’s first two recruiting classes made big impact
Ring in Chinese new year with delicious recipes
NIU’s Sean Progar
Supporters rally behind ex-coach DeKalb wrestling assistant, tennis coach relieved of duties after bus incident By DAVID THOMAS dthomas@shawmedia.com
DeKALB – Parents and students rallied Tuesday around a longtime DeKalb High School wrestling coach who was relieved of his coaching duties after he was found negligent for
failing to stop a student from being hit with a belt and racially harassed on a bus. At least 15 people urged DeKalb School District 428 board members to retain Lance Gackowski as an assistant wrestling coach and head coach for boys’ and girls’ tennis.
Gackowski, who has coached wrestling in DeKalb for about 25 years, was relieved of his coaching duties Jan. 26, but remains a high school science teacher. “If disciplinary action has to happen, don’t take away his coaching ability,” said Melissa Butts, who
drove an hour and 15 minutes from Tampico to be at the meeting. “Find something else.” District officials including Superintendent Jim Briscoe and school board President Tom Matya said they could not comment on the incident because it involves a district
LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WORRY ABOUT
Troublesome technology
employee and student discipline. Matya said they are reviewing a number of policies in the district’s handbook and for coaches. Supporters of Gackowski gave
See COACH, page A4
Ill. gay marriage bill moves to Senate By JOHN O’CONNOR The Associated Press
Kyle Bursaw – kbursaw@shawmedia.com
DeKalb High School student Jaylen Cole, 15, practices keeping a straight line while driving in reverse at the request of driver’s education instructor Mark Sykes (not pictured) on Tuesday in the Huntley Middle School parking lot.
Distracted drivers a difficult problem to solve By JEFF ENGELHARDT
“If they do it once, they feel like they will have no problem doing it again. Alcohol is still the number one problem, but we don’t want this to keep creeping up. ”
jengelhardt@shawmedia.com DeKALB – D.D. is not always a positive term when it comes to driving. Distracted drivers are a growing concern for many law enforcement agencies and driving instructors as technology such as smartphones, iPads and advanced GPS systems take more eyes off the roads. In DeKalb, the police department issues between five to 10 warnings or citations each week for texting while driving, said Lt. Jason Leverton. For drivers who get caught, it could cost $125. But the problem, Leverton said, is that many drivers are never ticketed or warned for texting while driving. Because cellphone use is still legal in most driving situations, it can be hard for officers to determine whether a driver is making a call or sending a text, Leverton said. And exceptions carved out in the law, such as allowing drivers to text while stopped at a red light or a train crossing,
Mark Sykes DeKalb High School drivers education instructor take away officers’ best chance to witness the otherwise illegal activity. “This is something that is really on the drivers to realize on their own what they’re doing isn’t safe,” Leverton said. “Some people have learned from their own experience. A number of drivers have had close calls because of texting and distractions.” According to the U.S. Transportation Department, more than 3,000 people were killed in each of the past three years because of distracted drivers. The
Illinois State Police have issued 19,540 citations and warnings for distracted driving from the beginning of 2010 through the end of 2011. Numbers for 2012 have not been released. Gary Dumdie, chief deputy of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office, said more public awareness campaigns and legislation would be needed to decrease those numbers. Some vehicles now have built-in GPS that do not allow changes to be made to the program when the car is in motion, Dumdie said. He said many phones have similar GPS and can recognize high speeds, suggesting certain features in phones such as texting automatically shut off when the internal GPS registers certain speeds. “It’s something the transportation safety board could look at,” Dumdie said of stricter legislation. “The technology is there to do a lot of those type of things if the education and awareness does not solve the issue.”
By the numbers
3,000
At least this number of American’s have been killed in each of the past three years because of distracted drivers
19,540
The number of citations and warnings for distracted driving issued by the Illinois State Police from the beginning of 2010 through the end of 2011.
SPRINGFIELD – A strict partyline vote Tuesday sent proposed gaymarriage legislation to the Democratic-controlled Illinois Senate floor for the second time in a month. The Executive Committee voted 9-5 in favor of the plan, despite Republicans’ concerns that it will force resistant religious organizations to open their parish halls and fellowship centers – if not their sanctuaries – to gays and lesbians seeking marriage ceremonies. Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, predicts the body’s 40-Democrat majority will find the 30 votes necessary to make Illinois the 10th state to give marital rights to same-sex couples. He wants a Valentine’s Day floor vote next week. “Same-sex couples want to marry,” sponsoring Sen. Heather Steans said, “for the same reason we all do: For the common respect, commitment to families, the obligation and the benefits that come with marriage.” Steans, also a Democrat from Chicago, shepherded a similar bill to the floor just after New Year’s – in the final days of the last General Assembly – but scuttled a floor vote when she couldn’t count on enough votes. She said a change in the language makes it clear that churches and other houses of worship will not be obligated to solemnize gay unions. But Republicans remain concerned that religious organizations will be sued over shutting their doors to same-sex celebrations. Sen. Dale Righter, through his questioning of the legislation’s supporters, was able to establish that those institutions’ obligations are covered by the state’s human rights law. The gay-marriage measure doesn’t address the responsibilities of any place deemed a “public accommodation,” and Righter, R-Mattoon, said the matter won’t be settled until
See BILL, page A3
5 to 10
The number of warnings or citations the DeKalb Police Department issues in a week.
$125
The fine assessed for drivers caught driving distracted in DeKalb.
Voice your opinion
See DRIVING, page A3
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AP photo
State Sen. Heather Steans, D-Chicago, testifies during a Senate Executive Committee hearing Tuesday at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield. The Senate committee approved legalizing gay marriage for the second time in a month.
Inside today’s Daily Chronicle Lottery Local news Obituaries
A2 A3-4 A4
National and world news Opinions Sports
Weather A2 A5 B1-4
Advice Comics Classified
C4 C5 C7-8
High:
28
Low:
26