THURSDAY
O c t o be r 23 , 2014 • $1 .0 0
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT NIU football looking for consistency on defense / B1 HIGH
LOW
55 46 Complete forecast on page A8
daily-chronicle.com
SERVING DEKALB COUNTY SINCE 1879
Facebook.com/dailychronicle
@dailychronicle
2 newcomers face off in District 1 Republican from Clare, Sycamore Democrat hope to earn spot on County Board By JESSI HAISH jhaish@shawmedia.com SYCAMORE – Two rural residents are facing off for a County Board spot in the hopes of earning their first seat in public office. Kevin Bunge, a Republican
cluding all townships along the county’s western border, as well as Mayfield Township and the northeastern part of Sycamore Township. Pickering, 53, is a Navy veteran and currently works for the Illinois Department of Agriculture, which she said en-
from Clare, and Joanne Pickering, a Sycamore Democrat, are vying for a seat representing District 1. Both hope the opportunity gives them a chance to reach out to and represent their constituents. District 1 is the largest in the county by land area, in-
ables her plenty of opportunities to speak with farmers. She said she hopes to be a strong voice for the agricultural population in her district. “After listening to farmers, many don’t feel their rural
See DISTRICT 1, page 6
Election Central
Kevin Bunge
Joanne Pickering
‘MR. PUMPKIN’ IS BACK
Follow the local, state and national races at Daily-Chronicle.com/election-central.
Canada’s PM calls rampage terrorism The ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photos by Monica Synett – mmaschak@shawmedia.com
Jan Thurow, wife of Wally “Mr. Pumpkin” Thurow, and Craig Thurow, Wally’s son, stand next to the statue of Wally that was unveiled Wednesday during the opening day of the Sycamore Pumpkin Festival.
Statue of Wally Thurow unveiled as Sycamore Pumpkin Festival begins By JESSI HAISH jhaish@shawmedia.com SYCAMORE – Craig Thurow is comforted knowing his dad is back at home in Sycamore. Thurow watched as a lifesize statue of his father was unveiled Wednesday at the southwest corner of Somonauk and Elm streets in Sycamore. He said the statue would not have been possible without the support of the city of Sycamore and the people who live in it. “[The statue] is just marvelous,” Craig Thurow said. “This is the greatest town in the world with the greatest festival in the world.” Craig’s father, Wally “Mr. Pumpkin” Thurow, is credited with creating the Sycamore Pumpkin Festival, which is in its 53rd year and runs through Sunday. Thurow died in 2012. The festival includes a parade, carnival, booths operated by nonprofit groups and a pumpkin decorating contest, in which pumpkins are displayed on the DeKalb County Court-
Your opinion What is your favorite part of this year’s Sycamore Pumpkin Festival? Vote online at Daily-Chronicle.com.
Your photos Submit your photos of the Sycamore Pumpkin Festival to photo@ daily-chronicle.com. house lawn. This year’s theme is Pumpkin Inventions. Thurow’s wife, Jan Thurow, traveled from her home in Louisiana to attend the unveiling with family members. She said Wally would have loved the statue. She said even after the family moved to Louisiana, Wally made sure to never miss a festival, which started out with just a few decorated pumpkins on Thurow’s front lawn before teaming up with the Lions Club to create the annual event.
ABOVE: Hannah Sebby, 10, this year’s theme winner, cuts the first slice of cake Wednesday during the opening day of the Sycamore Pumpkin Festival. LEFT: Phoebe Weigand, 7 months old, sits next to her pumpkin Wednesday on the DeKalb County Courthouse lawn.
See FESTIVAL, page A6
OTTAWA, Ontario – A masked gunman killed a soldier standing guard at Canada’s war memorial Wednesday, then stormed Parliament in an attack that was stopped cold when he was shot to death by the ceremonial sergeant-atarms. Canada’s prime minister called it the country’s second terrorist attack in three days. “We will not be intimidated. Canada will never be intimidated,” Prime Minister Stephen Harper vowed in an address to the nation. Unfolding just before 10 a.m., while lawmakers were meeting in caucus rooms, the assault rocked Parliament over and over with the boom of gunfire, led MPs to barricade doors with chairs and sent people streaming from the building in fear. Harper was addressing a caucus when the attack began outside the door, but he safely escaped. Investigators offered little information about the gunman, identified as 32-year-old petty criminal Michael Zehaf-Bibeau. But Harper said: “In the days to come we will learn about the terrorist and any accomplices he may have had.” A government official told AP that Zehaf-Bibeau was a recent convert to Islam. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to discuss the case publicly. Canada was already on alert because of a deadly hit-and-run assault Monday against two Canadian soldiers by a man Harper described as an “ISIL-inspired terrorist.” ISIL, or Islamic State, has called for reprisals against Canada and other Western countries that have joined the U.S.-led air campaign against the extremist group in Iraq and Syria. Witnesses said the soldier posted at the National War Memorial, identified as Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, was gunned down at point-blank range by a man carrying a rifle and dressed all in black, his face half-covered with a scarf. The gunman appeared to raise his arms in triumph, then entered Parliament, a few hundred yards away, where dozens of shots soon rang out, according to witnesses.
See RAMPAGE, page A2
LOCAL NEWS
A&E
LOCAL NEWS
WHERE IT’S AT
Positively pink
Monster Mash
Preparedness
Sycamore woman puts together packages for cancer patients / A3
Children invited to attend Feed’em Soup whodunit Saturday in DeKalb / C1
DeKalb firefighters train for Ebola encounter / A4
Advice ................................ C4 Classified........................D1-8 Comics ............................... C5 Local News.................... A3-4 Lottery................................ A2 Nation&World...................A2
Obituaries .........................A4 Opinion...............................A7 Puzzles ............................... C4 Sports..............................B1-4 State .............................. A2, 4 Weather .............................A8