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Friday, September 20, 2013
PREP FOOTBALL WRAP • INSIDE
HOMECOMING • LOCAL, A3
Sycamore backs thrive with multiple options
King and queen crowned at DeKalb’s parade
Reprimand at heart of legal battle Fired police lieutenant back on paid leave at NIU; university exploring options By JILLIAN DUCHNOWSKI jduchnowski@shawmedia.com DeKALB – Northern Illinois University’s former police chief didn’t reprimand his third-in-command for mishandling evidence until 7 p.m. Nov. 9. That was hours after then-NIU President John Peters put administrator Bill Nicklas in charge of the NIU police department and thenChief Don Grady, but before Grady met with his new boss for the first time, records show. It was also the
same day that Peters called for an investigation of Grady, Lt. Kartik Ramakrishnan, how they handled a rape case involving their own officer, and the department in general. Now, Grady’s written reprimand, which is more serious than a verbal reprimand but less serious than suspension or termination, is at the heart of an ongoing legal battle over whether Ramakrishnan should be allowed to keep his $92,000-a-year job. A state hearing officer suggested Grady wrote up his subordinate af-
More online Go to Daily-Chronicle.com to read the written ruling that retinstaed Lt. Kartik Ramakrishnan.
ter the fact to shield himself, but a state regulatory panel has ruled that the write-up means Ramakrishnan cannot also be fired for his mistake. Ramakrishnan could be entitled to more than $38,000 in back pay. For now, Ramakrishnan is on
paid leave as NIU officials decide if they will appeal the State Universities Civil Service Merit Board decision in DeKalb County Circuit Court. The merit board issued a written ruling this week siding with Ramakrishnan. “We have received the written order and the general counsel’s office is examining that document to determine the university’s response,” NIU spokesman Paul Palian said. Grady was fired Feb. 19, and Ramakrishnan was notified of the university’s intent to fire him. Ra-
50 years ‘in a wonderful place’
makrishnan later was removed from the university payroll in April. Disciplinary action against both leaders stemmed from statements from two NIU students who talked with them about a rape case pending against former NIU police officer Andrew Rifkin, 25, now of Northbrook. A woman claimed Rifkin raped her in his Cortland apartment while he was off-duty Oct. 14, 2011, and reported the incident about two weeks later.
See LIEUTENANT, page A10
Census: Ill. poverty rate stays near 15 percent By JIM SUHR The Associated Press
Rob Winner – rwinner@shawmedia.com
Sharon Wells (left) shares a laugh with Allison Stahl during the open house event celebrating Opportunity House’s 50th anniversary Thursday in Sycamore. Wells went to nursing school with Stahl’s mother.
Opportunity House celebrates golden anniversary with open house By CHRIS BURROWS cburrows@shawmedia.com
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YCAMORE – Like scores of other parents, Anna Kurtzman has volunteered her time for the past several years as a Boy Scout leader as her son moved through the ranks. But about a year and a half ago, the Sycamore resident took on a great and very different challenge when her scouting superiors asked her to help start a scouting group for developmentally-challenged teens and adults. Kurtzman had no experience in that realm, but enthusiastically accepted. “When I first heard about it, I was excited because I knew that our challenged people kind of get shuffled off to the side,” Kurtzman said. “I like being able to help people, and I like teaching people new things.” Kurtzman’s now-weekly commitment to the Opportunity House – a nonprofit that assists individuals with developmental disorders – and those whom it serves represents the show of community support that the Syc-
Rob Winner – rwinner@shawmedia.com
Lisa Steinbis (left) describes the medals won by the Opportunity House Special Olympics members while talking with Linda Heinisch during an open house event Thursday in Sycamore. Steinbis has competed in basketball, soccer, golf, swimming and bowling. “The clients are just marvelous. When you see how they develop it’s just great,” said Heinisch after speaking to Steinbis. amore-based charity celebrated Thursday at its 50th Anniversary Open House event. “We’re having this open house to thank the community for supporting Opportunity House over these 50 years, and then also to highlight the fact
that it’s this local community support that makes opportunity house’s mission possible,” Program Director Diana Hulst said. “... We’re relying more and more on local support.” Opportunity House provides group living facilities, training
programs, job opportunities and social groups and activities for about 260 people living in DeKalb County, Hulst said. Some of the individuals live in the center’s eight group homes while others live independently in their own apartments or with family. “Our mission is to help adults with developmental disabilities work, live in homes of their choice and enjoy community life,” Executive Director Bob Shipman said. “There’s been a real need for the services that we offer, both our day programs and residential.” At the open house, representatives from the nonprofit as well as participants and group leaders, like Kurtzman, met with community leaders and the public. About 15 years ago, Marc Johnson – then a college student studying health education at Northern Illinois University – began working with athletes at Opportunity House through its Special Olympics program.
ST. LOUIS – New U.S. census figures show that Illinois’ poverty rate held stubbornly at nearly 15 percent last year, signaling what anti-poverty activists say is worrisome proof that any economic recovery has not reached those struggling with low income. The latest federal data show that 14.7 percent of Illinoisans – 1.85 million people or one in seven residents of the state – were in poverty last year, down slightly from the 15 percent, or 1.88 million, in 2011. The national rate also remained discouragingly stuck at 15 percent – affecting 46.5 million Americans and marking the sixth year in a row the U.S. rate Voice your failed to improve. opinion For the past year, the official The poverty rate poverty line was in Illinois was 14.7 an annual income percent in 2012. of $23,492 for a What do you think family of four. it will be in 2013? The latest figures Vote online at Dailyshow that the Chronicle.com. median income for the nation’s households was $51,017, also unchanged from the previous year after two consecutive annual declines. Illinois was one of just four states where the median household income rose last year, while Missouri and Virginia were the only ones that saw a decline. That income level in Illinois rose 1.4 percent to $55,137, while neighboring Missouri’s fell 1.6 percent to $45,321. Amy Terpstra of the Heartland Alliance’s Social Impact Research Center, a Chicago-based nonprofit that pushes for policy changes to help the poor, said the latest numbers partly underscore Illinois’ need to raise the minimum wage. Gov. Pat Quinn recently revived his pursuit of that despite fierce opposition from business groups, which have argued that hiking the benchmark hourly wage would mean fewer jobs and even higher poverty rates. “I think what it shows is that poverty still is at nearly unprecedented levels,” Terpstra said. “Ultimately, I think it shows that the recovery has not trickled down to the people at the bottom of the economic ladder.” The U.S. Census Bureau’s annual report offers a snapshot of the economic well-being of U.S. households for 2012, when the unemployment rate averaged 8.1 percent after reaching an average high of 9.6 percent in 2010.
See ANNIVERSARY, page A8 See POVERTY, page A10
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