WEDNESDAY
Nov em be r 26 , 2 014 • $1 . 0 0
HOLDING ON Huskies’ lack of turnovers have led them to a 9-2 mark /B1 HIGH
LOW
32 19 Complete forecast on page A12
daily-chronicle.com
SERVING DEKALB COUNTY SINCE 1879
Facebook.com/dailychronicle
@dailychronicle
Officials optimistic on fund recovery DeKalb has $436,000 frozen by fraud investigation involving IMET ulent loans. “We’re optimistic on the recovery of all funds. The city of DeKalb has $436,000 But I don’t know how long it will be.” that is currently frozen because of DeKALB – Fearing the loss the alleged fraud. Cathy Haley, DeKalb finance director of millions in taxpayer dollars, That money is 2.8 percent of the DeKalb officials have moved most city’s total $14.8 million investment of the city’s money out of a state in the convenience fund of the IlShe said the frozen money would “We’re optimistic on the reinvestment fund at the center of a linois Metropolitan Investment covery of all funds,” City Finance not affect city operations. lawsuit against a man accused of Fund, commonly known as IMET, Director Cathy Haley said. “But I The problems stem from Nikesh making millions of dollars in fraud- which was established in 1996. A. Patel, the CEO of Florida-based don’t know how long it will be.”
By KATIE DAHLSTROM
kdahlstrom@shawmedia.com
First Farmers Financial LLC, who is accused of selling more than $175 million in bad loans to Milwaukee-based Pennant Managment under the false pretense they were backed by the United States Department of Agriculture. IMET bought some of the loans from Pennant.
See FUND, page A9
Ferguson grand jury: Officer fired after ‘tussle’
NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH
PUTTING INK TO THE PAGE Local residents take on novel writing challenge By ANDREA AZZO aazzo@shawmedia.com
D
eKALB – Failure isn’t an option for Justin Difazzio. He’s participating for the ninth consecutive year in a challenge to write a 50,000-word novel in one month. Difazzio, a 31-year-old DeKalb resident, has More info more than 30,000 words For information or written for a to sign up for National novel about a Novel Writing Month, man who gives visit www.nanowrimo. up everything for a chance to org. be happy. Disaid he Voice your opinion fazzio has completed the novel chalWhat’s the longest lenge every document you’ve year since in written? Vote online at 2006. Daily-Chronicle.com. “It’s not magical. There’s no secret to it,” he said. “Some years, it’s an uphill climb. You put [yourself] in the seat, and you write whether you feel like doing it or not.” About 400,000 people across six continents are estimated to be participating this year in National Novel Writing Month, which is in its 16th year and now has 616 affiliated chapters. The DeKalb chapter has 694 members, according to National Novel Writing Month’s website. Some DeKalb chapter members have been meeting for three hours every Sunday this month at Barnes & Noble at 2439 Sycamore Road in DeKalb. With the bookstore expected to close by Dec. 31, group leaders say they are unsure of where they will meet next year. Still, at the end of the month, they plan to hold a Nick Brooks for Shaw Media “Thank Goodness It’s Over” party Alyson McCandless works on her novel Sunday as she participates in the National Novel Writing Month during the DeKalb chapwith prizes to celebrate. ter meeting at Barnes and Noble in DeKalb. About 400,000 people across six continents are estimated to be participating this National Novel Writing Month year in National Novel Writing Month, which is in its 16th year and now has 616 affiliated chapters. The DeKalb chapter has 694 has grown each year. Last year, members, according to National Novel Writing Month’s website. there were 310,095 participants, and band and other clubs,” she said. goal. pating through the Young Writers 89,500 students and educators took Vieyra’s mother also is particpart through the Young Writers Pro- Program. “There are times when it’s easy and ipating in the novel-writing chalLast year, she tried to complete gram, which allows young writers hard.” lenge, as are a small group of writages 17 and younger to set their own a graphic novel with the concept At Barnes and Noble, particiers at DeKalb High School, where word count, according to the group’s that one picture is worth, yes, 1,000 pants write in 15-minute intervals Vieyra is a freshman. words. Although she never finwebsite. and take 5-minute breaks. “It can be difficult to focus, ished, this year Vieyra is writing a This is the second year that Karwords-only novel with a 15,000-word especially since I’m in the marching risa Vieyra, 15, of Malta, is particiSee NOVEL, page A9
LOCAL NEWS
LOCAL NEWS
FOOD
WHERE IT’S AT
Helping others
Slick conditions
Easy does it
Salvation Army’s Thanksgiving baskets assist families / A3
Icy roads are the cause of several local crashes resulting in injuries / A3
Make Thanksgiving simple with this basic stuffing recipe / B10
Advice ................................ B5 Classified..................... B7-B9 Comics ............................... B6 Local News.................... A2-4 Lottery................................ A2 Nation&World.........A2,5, 7,9
By DAVID A. LIEB and HOLBROOK MOHR The Associated Press FERGUSON, Missouri – Some witnesses called it a tussle. Others described it as a tug-of-war. Ferguson Officer Darren Wilson testified that they were fighting over his handgun. None of the witnesses who testified, other than Wilson, could say exactly what was happening inside his police car, but by almost all accounts, Michael Brown was Darren Wilson physically struggling with the officer through his open win- Ferguson dow moments before reaction he was fatally shot on Aug. 9. Anger at W i l s o n b l a m e d Ferguson case it on Brown, saying based on emothe teenager reached tion, evidence. through his driver’s See more on side window, hit him page A2. in the face, called him [an expletive] and grabbed his gun. Wilson told the grand jury that he pulled the trigger twice in his own defense, but no shots went off. “At this point I’m like, why isn’t this working? This guy is going to kill me if he gets ahold of this gun. I pulled it a third time, it goes off.” That initial confrontation may help explain why jurors decided not to indict. If their initial struggle prompted Wilson to fear for his life, it could have met the legal standard for justifiable deadly force. Thousands of pages of testimony reviewed by The Associated Press show the encounter between the white police officer and the black 18-year-old started off badly, and very quickly spiraled out of control. Wilson had just wrapped up a call about a sick child. Brown had just stolen a pack of cigarillos from a convenience store. Wilson spotted Brown and a friend walking down the center of a residential street, and told them to move aside. They refused, and Brown responded with an expletive.
See JURY, page A2
Obituaries .........................A4 Opinion..............................A11 Puzzles ............................... B5 Sports..............................B1-4 State ...................................A4 Weather ........................... A12
BLACK FRIDAY SALE Length of contract limited. Some customers will not qualify. No monthly payments for 90 days. Down payment may be required at signing. Must qualify and be approved through Ally Financial. Not compatible with leases and some other offers. Visit chevyblackfridaysale.com for a list of eligible vehicles. Take delivery by 12/1/14. See dealer for details.
0
% APR
FINANCING
+ $1,000 Proud Sponsor of
BONUS CASH
+
NO PAYMENTS UNTIL NEXT YEAR ON THESE MODELS AND MORE
ENDS DECEMBER 1ST adno=0306531
A NATURAL HAT TRICK!