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Ja n u a r y 13 , 2015 • $1 .0 0
GO-TO GIRL Indian Creek’s Diehl takes on versatile role with Timberwolves / B1 HIGH
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Rauner: State must sacrifice to grow Critics say the new governor’s inauguration speech not specific By SARA BURNETT and KERRY LESTER The Associated Press SPRINGFIELD – Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner moved quickly to address Illinois’ budget mess Monday, taking the oath of office and then ordering state agencies to immediately freeze all nonessential spending. The wealthy businessman told those at his inauguration ceremony in Springfield that
Illinois has become less competitive and that businesses and residents have fled the state because of high taxes and over-regulation. He said addressing the multibillion-dollar budget hole and other problems will require sacrifice, but is the only way to turn Illinois around. “Each person here today and all those throughout the state will be called upon to share in the sacrifice so that one day we can again share in
Illinois’s prosperity,” he said. “We all must shake up our old ways of thinking.” Democrats, who hold veto-proof majorities in the Illinois House and Senate, criticized Rauner’s speech as rhetoric that was short on specifics. They said the real test will come next month, when the new governor will have to propose a budget for next year. Senate President John Cullerton, a Chicago Democrat, called parts of Rauner’s speech inaccurate, saying he seemed unaware of some of the progress the state has made in the past six years. He said Rauner, who is hold-
ing office for the first time, “is going to have to learn about state government” and the budget. Cullerton and other Democrats also said it was unclear what impact, if any, the spending freeze would have. “I don’t know exactly what that means, and I don’t know if he does either, but it sounds great,” Cullerton said. Monday’s inauguration wasn’t the appropriate time for Rauner to delve into specifics, said Hinckley Republican Rep. Bob Pritchard. He said the speech was more about changing attitudes about
See RAUNER, page A5
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Gov. Bruce Rauner waves to the crowd after delivering his inauguration address Monday in Springfield.
Kish College, faculty talks prove to be ‘productive’
SYCAMORE SINGLES PROVIDES SOCIAL OUTLET FOR LOCAL ADULTS
Contract negotiations to continue next week By ADAM POULISSE apoulisse@shawmedia.com
Photos by Monica Synett – msynett@shawmedia.com
ABOVE: About a dozen locals, who are a part of Sycamore Singles – a local group of singles who meet and hang out at various events – celebrate a correct answer Wednesday during trivia night at Cabana Charley’s Restaurant in Sycamore. BELOW: Sycamore Singles co-founders Leslie Miller (left) and Jen Lowe-Velichkoff talk Wednesday at Cabana Charley’s in Sycamore. About a dozen singles showed up for trivia night.
Mix and mingle By DARIA SOKOLOVA dsokolova@shawmedia.com SYCAMORE – Dawn Hobbs found herself with some free time since she is divorced and her children are grown. To fill the void, she decided to join Sycamore Singles, a local group that gives everyone an opportunity to socialize and meet new friends. On Wednesday, Hobbs was at Cabana Charley’s Restaurant in Sycamore for a weekly trivia game that brought about 15 other group members to socialize and have fun on a cold January night. “It’s been great,” said Hobbs, who was talking to several other people at the end of the table. “We have become really good friends. We have a lot of fun when we get together; we do all kinds of different activities.” As time rolled toward 5 p.m., the number of free spots at the table dwindled. Leslie Miller, a Sycamore mother and one of the group’s co-founders, said the group has been growing for the past few months, as Sycamore Singles provides an opportunity to get together, have fun and make new friends whether they are single or divorced. In general, the age of group participants range from 30 to 60. Unlike some of the matchmaking dating programs, such as Tinder, OkCupid or Match, Sycamore Singles is geared toward socializing
rather than dating, Miller said. swipe people away and that’s what you do on “Everything that is available out there is all those websites, you swipe pictures.” Miller started the group in November with on the Internet and nothing is face-to-face,” Miller said. “We wanted people to be able to See SINGLES, page A5 meet and socialize not just go [online] and
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Computer-aided design skills land Kish students jobs / A6
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MALTA – Lengthy negotiations between the Kishwaukee College Education Association and administrators gained traction Monday, likely staving off a strike that could have begun as early as Friday. During a session Monday with a third-party mediator, the union gave a proposal that included $1.6 million in savings to the college, which comes from givebacks on retiree insurance, said Kenzo Shibata, spokesman for Illinois Federation of Teachers. The federation is assisting the union, which represents 81 full-time faculty members, in the negotiations. The union has agreed to pick up a portion of insurance premiums and “This was cap the retiree insurance contribua big hit that the tions, according to a news release. union was “This was a big hit that the union willing to make a was willing to take compromise.” to make a compromise,” Shibata said. Kenzo Shibata Since last Illinois Federation of spring, the union Teachers spokesman has been trying to negotiate higher salaries and better benefits. The most recent contracts expired in August. The closed negotiations began at 4 p.m. Monday and continued past 9 p.m. Negotiations will resume Jan. 21. Shibata said both sides are “very close” on a pay negotiation, but that figure was unavailable. In light of an intent-to-strike the union filed with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board, faculty could go on strike as early as Friday. Shibata said with negotiations moving forward, a strike now seems unlikely. “Talks were pretty productive, and there was movement on both sides,” Shibata said. College President Tom Choice – who was in Springfield for the gubernatorial inauguration – received a text message Monday evening by the chief negotiator saying the negotiations were “very close,” but no deal had been reached yet. Choice praised the length of the meeting. “This is what we’ve been asking for since June, just to stay as long as it takes,” he said.
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