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Middle school schedule change OK’d Time for math courses doubled; elective courses dropped in District 428 By CHRIS BURROWS cburrows@shawmedia.com DeKALB – DeKalb School District 428 board members approved changes to the district’s middle school schedule in a vote Tuesday. With no discussion from the board, all but one present member voted in favor of the changes, which will rearrange the students’ daily schedule to include less elective time and make room for double periods of math. Gen-
eral music will be cut along with the equivalent of three full-time teaching positions, and the changes will go in effect for the 2014-15 school year. “We’re behind where we probably need to be in acceptable standards for math teaching time, and this will bring us to where we need to be,” board President Tom Matya said. “... There’s a give and take here, but we only have so many hours, so many minutes in the day that we can teach, so we need to prioritize what
What it means Starting with the 2014-15 school year, middle school students in DeKalb School District 428 will receive double the amount of math time but will have less access to elective courses. The equivalent three fulltime teaching positions will be cut. items we are teaching.” Nina Fontana was the only board member to vote against the changes.
Board member Cohen Barnes wasn’t present. “As a former teacher, I just had my own opinions on how the time could be used,” Fontana said. “I’d like to see the students be able to experience all of the rotation classes ... music, art, computers and the health program.” Under the current schedule, middle school students have an encore period, which includes nine-week classes in art, computers, health and general music, and an exploratory period, which
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consists of full semesters of band and orchestra ensembles, choir and extra help in math or language arts. The new schedule combines the encore and exploratory periods into a single elective period to make room for a double, 88-minute period of math. Art and computer classes will be lengthened to fill a full semester, and health classes will be folded into the physical education curriculum.
See SCHEDULE, page A4
Sycamore police say four men had AK-47 By JILLIAN DUCHNOWSKI jduchnowski@shawmedia.com
Shaw Media file photo
Visitors explore the Northern Illinois Farm Show on Jan. 10 at the Convocation Center in DeKalb. DeKalb County saw a 3.49 percent increase in tourism from last year.
Tourism in county up in 2012, looking better for 2013 By CHRIS BURROWS
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cburrows@shawmedia.com DeKalb – Last year was one of the worst that Vicky Torres has seen. In 13 years as the general manager and director of sales at the Best Western Inn & Suites in DeKalb County DeKalb, she nev- Tourism Tax er experienced Receipts a dropoff in customers like she Year Tax Receipts* 1.28 did in 2012, and 2012 1.22 she can tell you 2011 1.15 why in just a few 2010 2009 1.08 words. 1.21 “Well, it was 2008 1.11 the economy,” 2007 2006 1.03 she says. 2005 0.97 Torres is 2004 0.91 right, of course, 2003 0.86 but there’s more *millions to it than that. Source: Chicago That’s bec a u s e D e K a l b & Beyond regional County actually tourism office saw a 3.49 percent increase in tourism spending last year, something experts attribute to more travelers spending less and staying closer to home. The newly certified DeKalb County Convention and Visitors Bureau is working to help hoteliers make up the difference.
Which area are you most likely to visit in the next year for vacation or a getaway? Vote at Daily-Chronicle.com
Rob Winner – rwinner@shawmedia.com
Sam Finch of DeKalb shoots his last target balloon during the Northern Illinois Outlaws’ cowboy mounted shooting event July 27 at Amber Sun Acres in Malta as part of Kishwaukee Fest. “People are looking to travel a little bit closer to home,” said Bonnie Heimbach, the executive director of the Chicago & Beyond regional tourism office. Heimbach said that although Illinois welcomed a record 99 million visitors in 2012, many tourist dollars come from fellow Illinoisans, some of whom don’t need lodging. “Even if they’re not spending as much or staying as long, there are
just more people visiting the area,” she said. And with its array of indoor and outdoor venues, regional events and hotel options that are on the rise, the DeKalb area is seeing its share of tourism revenues increase. Visitors to the county spent $81.46 million on transportation, food service, lodging, retail, recreation and entertainment in 2012, an increase over the $78.62 million
spent in 2011, according to Chicago & Beyond. That 3.49 percent rise ranks sixth among nine neighboring counties. Lee County increased the most, by 4.75 percent, to $29.9 million, and the Chicago region as a whole saw a 4.26 percent uptick. The DeKalb County Convention and Visitors Bureau takes some of the credit. Originally developed by Executive Director Debbie Armstrong as an arm of the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce, the bureau received state certification in July 2011, and works with hotels to offer blocks of rooms at rates that groups can afford. As a certified bureau – one of 40 in Illinois – the visitors bureau can apply for fund-matching grants through the state and receives a portion of local hotel tax revenues. The bureau received $55,928 in grants in its first year and $71,576 for the next fiscal year, which ended this summer, from the state.
See TOURISM, page A4
SYCAMORE – Four men remained in the DeKalb County Jail on Tuesday after police said they found them in a car together with an AK-47 assault rifle, ammunition and brass knuckles. “At this time, I have no idea what their intent or motivations were,” Sycamore police Lt. Darrell Johnson said, adding police were continuing their investigation. A caller reported a suspicious vehicle in the 200 block of West Sycamore Street about 1 a.m. Tuesday, Johnson said. The person called again about an hour later to report the car had returned, and its occupants Sanchez had walked around a Lumpkins home, Johnson said. Sycamore police found the vehicle on West State Street at Greeley Street, court records show. An officer saw the rifle in plain view in the back Darrin seat between Sanchez Matthews Lumpkins, 30, of the 500 block of Kendall Lane in DeKalb, and Darrin Matthews, 26, of the 2600 block of Pleasant Street in DeKalb, court records show. The rifle was Jacob not loaded, but po- Sloniger lice found 29 rounds of ammunition in the car’s back seat, court records show. Jacob Sloniger, 20, of Soneridge Lane in Elgin, claimed the rifle was his, court records show. All three Kevin Baines men – as well as the fourth passenger, Kevin Baines, 40, of the 100 block of Marquette Street in LaSalle – were charged with aggravated unlawful use of a firearm. The charge is punishable by 1 to 3 years in prison. Lumpkins also was charged as an armed habitual criminal because he has past convictions for burglary and unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, court records show. He is next due in court Friday to ask a judge to reduce his $50,000 bond. Matthews, whose bond is $5,000, and Baines, whose bond is $20,000, are next due in court Monday. Sloniger, whose bond is $3,000, is next due in court Sept. 4.
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