DDC 08-7-2015 by Shaw Media

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Augus t 7, 2015 • $ 1.00

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DAILY CHRONICLE

Helmets-only practice kicks off Huskies’ 2015 campaign / B1 HIGH

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SERVING DEKALB COUNTY SINCE 1879

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Officials weigh in on bingo facility Aesthetics of proposed hall unclear; some anticipate economic boon By RHONDA GILLESPIE rgillespie@shawmedia.com DeKALB – Acres of cornfields stand on the land owned by the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. It’s now rented by a farmer, but is expected to be transformed to a bingo hall with 400 jobs that could shift the local economy into overdrive. It remains unclear how the Class II gaming facility – expected to run 24-hours a day – will look. County Board Chairman Mark Pietrowski, D-3rd District, said it is ex-

pected to include 800 bingo machines in a “large facility that can attract tourism to the area.” And DeKalb County Administrator Gary Hanson said it is “premature” to consider aesthetics and specifications of what would be built on the land. Further, the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation is working on getting the proper land designation from the U.S. Department of the Interior to build the bingo hall. That effort has been ongoing since at least 2001 – predating the 2008 intergovernmental agreement

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tion, according to the National Indian Gaming Commission, Would you support a 24-hour elec- the federal agency that would regulate the facility. tronic bingo hall in Shabbona? Vote On Tuesday, the tribe online at Daily-Chronicle.com. asked DeKalb County’s Economic Development Committhe tribe made with DeKalb tee to back its effort to have the land held in trust. The full County. The federal government County Board is expected to has to classify the land, locat- vote on that support resolued near a forest preserve and a tion at its meeting Aug. 19. But what is clear is that state park, as an Indian reservation or hold it in trust. That the county and the village of is a requirement the Prairie Shabbona are banking on the Band Potawatomi Nation has bingo facility’s anticipated to fulfill in order to bring economic boon. Shabbona Village Presplans for the bingo hall to frui-

ident Claudia Hicks pointed out that the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation’s land isn’t located in village limits. Still, the village and tribe have agreed that when the bingo hall comes, Shabbona will supply its water and wastewater – the tribe will be paying out-of-town rates. Hicks said the owners would pay as much as $772,000 to have pipes installed to connect the gambling center to the village’s water supply and sanitary system. A onetime wastewater connection fee of $513,000 also would be

required. “We’re a small town. It’s very hard for us to get anything into Shabbona,” Hicks said. “Anything that I think we could get to help us, I would support it.” Hicks said she particularly supports bringing jobs to the area. The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation has predicted 400 new jobs would be created, with a $17 million annual payroll. Those positions would be in addition to the temporary construction jobs.

See BINGO, page A5

Trump refuses to rule out a third-party run

DeKALB POLICE STATION EXPANSION

By JULIE PACE and STEVE PEOPLES The Associated Press

Danielle Guerra – dguerra@shawmedia.com

The city plans to purchase and demolish a house at 622 W. Lincoln Highway and use the space for parking and for a potential police department expansion.The city amended the budget for the project by $300,000, which will cover the purchase of the property and all closing costs, as well as demolition expenses, according to city officials.

DeKalb police station costs climb City bought additional land after project was already over budget

CLEVELAND – Setting a combative tone from the start, billionaire businessman Donald Trump took the spotlight in the first Republican presidential debate, declaring he would not commit to supporting the party’s eventual nominee and would not rule out running as a third-party candidate. “I will not make the pledge at this time,” Trump said. He also refused to apologize for making insulting comments about women, saying, “The big problem this country has is being politically correct.” Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul immediately jumped in to challenge Trump on his refusal to commit to supporting the party nominee. “He’s already hedging his bets because he’s used to buying politicians,” Paul said. Trump’s blunt style was in line with the approach he’s taken to his campaign throughout the summer, appealing to voters frustrated with career politicians and perplexing his rivals. He entered the first debate leading the polls in a field filled with governors and senators. Most of the candidates on stage avoided engaging directly with Trump in the debate’s early moments. While 17 Republicans are seeking the party’s nomination, only 10 were invited by debate host Fox News to participate in the main event based on their showing in recent polls.

See DEBATE, page A5 By BRITTANY KEEPERMAN bkeeperman@shawmedia.com DeKALB – The price of the city’s 2-yearold police station continues to climb. A little less than two years after the city’s police department moved into a $12.7 million, 35,000-square-foot building, the DeKalb City Council already has had to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy property for expansion. City officials have said the house at 622 W. Lincoln Highway was bought for potential police use, such as additional parking, but plans haven’t been solidified. The house was in foreclosure, and the city bought the property for $228,527, well above market rate. The property had originally been listed for short sale at $145,000. Officials have justified the cost of the building, saying short sale wasn’t an option. In total, the city amended the budget by $300,000 and have paid out $242,513 so far, which includes paying off two mortgages the home was under and other expenses such as accrued interest, attorney’s and broker fees, title and escrow charges, and other costs.

The city also paid the owner, David Storm, $3,000 in moving costs and granted him 120 days to remain in the house, according to city documents. “The city was trying to be good citizens to a member of our community in allowing him enough time to relocate and the cost to do so,” City Manager Anne Marie Gaura wrote in an emailed statement after multiple requests for a telephone interview. “The house will be demolished when it is vacated.” An appraiser valued the residential property at $52,000. If the property were zoned for commercial use, it would be worth $392,000, according to the appraisal. Construction of the new station started in September 2012 after a decade of talks, planning and study. The new space is an improvement over where the department operated from before, on the ground floor of the aging DeKalb municipal building, Police Chief Gene Lowery said. Some needs were cut in the planning process, such as a basement that would have provided room for expansion, additional storage

space and an emergency weather shelter. A firing range also was cut, Lowery said. “Could our forefathers have planned better?” he said. “Over 10 years, things change. They perhaps didn’t realize the scope of need versus how landlocked we are. Needs change, but the property can’t grow.” The police station bordered commercial properties to the west, which could cost the city $600,000 to $1 million to buy, officials have said. Lincoln Highway is directly north of the station and the railroad runs behind it. The location had been chosen, in part, because it’s the busiest area in terms of demand for police service, Lowery said. The station also is close to two of the three areas in DeKalb that allow for crossing town even when a train blocks the way. “We’re close to the Annie Glidden and Pearl underpass, so we can get to the south side of town,” Lowery said. “We’re also close to [Northern Illinois University]. It’s a great location. … Too bad we didn’t have more land.”

See STATION, page A5

SPORTS

LOCAL NEWS

WHERE IT’S AT

Bears’ problem

Parents’ concern

Budget issues

Kevin White’s injury is a major concern for the Bears / B1

South Prairie Elementary State budget impasse School parents concerned affects social service with park district deal / A3 agencies / A4

Advice................................. B3 Classified.........................B5-7 Comics................................ B4 Local News..................... A2-4 Lottery................................. A2 Nation&World................A2-6

AP photo

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks Thursday during the first Republican presidential debate at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.

Obituaries..........................A4 Opinion................................A7 Puzzles................................ B3 Sports...............................B1-2 State................................A4-5 Weather..............................A8