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SERVING DEKALB COUNTY SINCE 1879
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AWARDS SEASON
Photos by Monica Synett – msynett@shawmedia.com
LEFT: Tom Zucker, executive director of the Voluntary Action Center, receives a standing ovation after the VAC was named winner of the 2014 Business of the Year award at the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting Thursday at Faranda’s Banquet and Conference Center. ABOVE: Sally Stevens, a 2015 Hall of Fame inductee, says a few words to those who attended the annual meeting of the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce. BELOW: David Yanke accepts the award for Ambassador of the Year from Caroline Lowery (left) and Tonda Bruch, last year’s Ambassador of the Year recipient, at the annual meeting of the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce on Thursday.
Businesses receive recognition at DeKalb Chamber of Commerce annual meeting By ADAM POULISSE apoulisse@shawmedia.com DeKALB – It was awards night Thursday, and hundreds turned out in their evening best, eager to see who would walk away with the accolades. But this wasn’t the Golden Globes or the Oscars – it was the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce’s 2015 annual meeting, honoring the best businesses of the past year and inducting outstanding residents into the hall of fame. Voluntary Action Center came out on top as Business of the Year, which was the biggest award of the night, as the center rings in its 40th year with honor. “We’ve come a long way,” said Tom Zuck-
er, VAC executive director. “VAC was initially just a small group of activists meeting the community’s unmet needs.” Last year, VAC provided 230,000 rides to those in need, and 300,000 meals, Zucker said. Round tables inside Faranda’s, 302 Grove St. in DeKalb, were filled with representatives from several area businesses for the chamber’s annual meeting. Catered food, beginning with hearty salads and ending with chocolatey sweets, were brought to the tables in waves before the lectern speeches began. The Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting was at once a dinner, a networking mixer
See AWARDS, page A6
2014 Business of the Year finalists n Banner Up Signs n Becky Beck’s Jewelry Store n Elder Care Services of DeKalb County n FunMe Events n The House Cafe
Winners n Studio One Salon & Day Spa n SundogIT Inc. n Unity Hospice of Western Illinois n Voluntary Action Center
n 2014 Ambassador of the Year – David Yanke n 2014 Business of the Year – Voluntary Action Center n Pioneer Award – Junior Clark (who died in 1982)
Local economy getting boost Cheaper gas, lower income tax lead to fatter wallets, more spending Voice your opinion
By KATIE DAHLSTROM kdahlstrom@shawmedia.com SYCAMORE – In the past few weeks, Gabriela Careajal has gone from barely being able to afford to drive to dishing out money at restaurants. For Careajal, an Elgin native who commutes to Northern Illinois University and also works as a sales associate at baby clothes retailer Carter’s, the cost of hitting the pump has had the biggest effect on her spending habits. She used to pay $50 once a week to fill her gas tank before prices dropped to less than $2 a gallon. “I had to stop shopping for a while, but now I am shopping,” Careajal said. “I’ve been going out to eat more with my friends
n 2015 Hall of Fame inductees • Sally Stevens • Shirley Hamilton Nehring • Mike Mooney • Ron Klein • Junior Clark
Rauner previews 1st-year priorities By SARA BURNETT and NICK SWEDBERG The Associated Press
Have lower gas prices and income tax rates affected your spending habits? Vote online at Daily-Chronicle.com.
who has found deeper pockets. The combination of cheaper gas prices and bigger paychecks for consumers has been a boon for some DeKalb County businesses, too. Owners say they’re seeing more customers and bigger transactions, a Monica Synett – msynett@shawmedia.com Chad Hintzsche, Nick Lee, Tiffany Burdick and Grant Goltz meet after trend they hope will continue work Jan. 16 for food and drinks at PJ’s Courthouse Tavern in Syca- throughout the year. The typical family of four more. with an annual income of and actually doing things that little bit of extra cash on me.” See ECONOMY, page A6 I want to do now that I have a Careajal isn’t the only one
CHICAGO – Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner on Thursday began laying out priorities for his first year in office, saying property taxes and workers’ compensation costs are too high, Medicaid spending is unsustainable and state workers’ salaries and benefits are too generous. In a speech he said was a preview of the State of the State address he’ll give next month, the Winnetka Republican said Illinois is in “massive deterioration mode.” He said he will propose a number of reforms to turn the state around, and indicated
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they would involve making Illinois more attractive to businesses while slashing spending on everything from health insurance for the poor to public-worker pensions and the state’s payroll. “This is the critical lesson that we’re seeing: We’re on an unsustainable path,” Rauner told students at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. “We need fundamental structural change and raising taxes alone ... isn’t going to fix the problem, and in a lot of ways it’s going to make it worse.” While he didn’t outline specific proposals, many of Rauner’s ideas are likely to draw
See RAUNER, page A6
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