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County to consider ‘zero waste’ Task force explores whether reduction in landfill trash is feasible By FELIX SARVER fsarver@shawmedia.com DeKALB – Boulder County’s population may be three times the size of DeKalb County, but it generates less waste. County Board member Marc Johnson, D-Sycamore, shared with the newly created Zero Waste Task Force on Thursday that the county in Colorado, which has an estimated population of 318,000, produced more
than 61,000 tons of waste last year. Meanwhile, DeKalb County, with its population of about 105,000, generated more than 108,000 tons of waste last year despite a recycling rate of 61 percent. “As you can see, we’re generating so much more waste that our recycling rate almost becomes a moot point,” he said. Having a policy that aims to reduce waste in landfills through reusing resources as a guiding principle
Illinois gun bill stopped in House
for the county’s solid waste management plan may be the solution. A 13-member Zero Waste Task Force created by the DeKalb County Board is set to find out whether such a policy – also known as a zero waste policy – will be feasible for the county in the next 10 months. The task force met for its first meeting Thursday to learn about zero waste initiatives and current efforts from county officials to reduce waste.
Members decided to meet once a month and have until the end of August to produce a report of their findings for county officials and board members. Their next meeting will start at 1:15 p.m. on Dec. 5. A zero waste policy aims to reduce waste in landfills through recycling, reusing resources and other initiatives. During his presentation on zero waste policy, Johnson said
See WASTE, page A6
If you go What: Zero Waste Task Force meeting When: 1:15 p.m. Dec. 5 Where: DeKalb County Community Outreach Building, 2500 N. Annie Glidden Road, DeKalb Information: Call the DeKalb County Health Department at 815-758-6673.
Voice your opinion Would you be willing to do more to reduce the amount of your trash that goes into landfills? Vote online at Daily-Chronicle.com.
Thanksgiving bird is the word Waterman farm fattening up thousands of turkeys for the holidays
Lawmakers adjourn with key work undone By JOHN O’CONNOR The Associated Press SPRINGFIELD – A push to fight crime by imposing stiffer penalties for having guns on urban streets came to a halt Thursday when black lawmakers in the Illinois House used a procedural measure to stall proposed legislation, saying the bill was too focused on locking up young men. The House adjourned shortly after, and the Senate followed a few hours later after failing to address a package of incentives to keep businesses in Illinois or lure other companies here. Adjournment left key issues undone and raised the specter of Online lawmakers returning to Springfield The gun bill before the end of is SB1342. The the year. incentives bills The end of the are HB2536, annual two-week HB3271 and fall session also SB1448. Read came and went the full text of without resolution the bills online of the biggest item at www.ilga. pressing lawmakgov. ers, the $100 billion pension debt and how to erase it. Thursday began with what appeared to be an agreement on the anti-gun bill backed by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who believes it is critical for helping the city combat gang violence. The proposal, negotiated for weeks by Rep. Michael Zalewski, a Riverside Democrat, would stiffen prison penalties for felons and gang members caught with weapons. But Rep. Kenneth Dunkin, D-Chicago, head of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, called on a procedural move that halted its progress on the floor. He demanded information from Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration on the impact of the measure, including the cost and the effect on the prison population. The answers were not immediately provided, and the House adjourned. The Rev. Jesse Jackson traveled to the Capitol on Thursday to lobby against the “mandatory minimum” sentencing measure. He said lawmakers should focus on education and jobs, “not incarceration.”
Photos by Rob Winner – rwinner@shawmedia.com
Hundreds of turkeys are seen gathered in a pen Tuesday before being dressed at Ho-Ka Turkey Farm in Waterman. The farm’s turkeys are available locally at Inboden’s in DeKalb and Headon’s in Creston, and at more than 100 independent grocers and butcher shops throughout the Chicago area. By DEBBIE BEHRENDS
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Howard Kauffman Turkey Farms sells turkeys in their own retail operation Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., as well as at area grocery stores. Address: 8519 Leland Road, Waterman Phone: 815-264-3470 Website: www.hokaturkeys.com
ATERMAN – Most families get a little busier in the days before Thanks-
giving. But it gets a lot busier for Robert Kauffman’s family because the family business is dressing thousands of fresh turkeys for families in DeKalb County and across northern Illinois. Waterman’s Howard Kauffman Turkey Farms, known more commonly as Ho-Ka, started in 1933 with 300 birds dressed in the basement of the family home. “This is my grandfather’s farm,” Kauffman said. “My dad [Howard] came home from the [University of Illinois] and said he thought he could make a little money raising turkeys.” This year, Kauffman expects the operation will sell about 70,000 birds. During the holidays, the seven-person operation grows to employ 100 people who prepare the birds for sale in the farm’s retail operation. Ho-Ka turkeys are available locally at Inboden’s in DeKalb and Headon’s in Creston, and at more than 100
See GUN BILL, page A4
Robert Kauffman of Ho-Ka Turkey Farm in Waterman shows a packaged turkey on Tuesday. His father founded the turkey business in 1933. independent grocers and butcher shops throughout the Chicago area. Kauffman said he receives the turkeys from a hatchery in Minnesota, one of the nation’s largest turkey-producing states. The birds are fed and tended for 16 to 18 weeks before the holiday rush. “They have food available all the time,” Kauffman said. “It’s a mixture of corn, soybean meal
and other nutrients. Our nutritionist tells us the best mixture.” Although he buys the soybean meal, Kauffman raises the corn himself on 340 acres. “They grow at an incredible rate,” said Kauffman, adding that genetics cause the birds to grow about a pound bigger every year. “We have the nutrition down pretty good. It’s all genetics now.” Employees in the process-
ing plant work nearly shoulder-to-shoulder cleaning and packaging the birds. A federal inspector looks at each turkey. Three ice-making machines on the roof can’t keep up with the demand. They start bagging ice a month before the rush just to have enough to cool the birds from their normal body temperature of about 100 degrees down to 40, Kauffman said. Each bird is shrink-wrapped in plastic, with a label showing only the information Kauffman believes is necessary – the Ho-Ka trademark, the federally-inspected seal, cooking instructions and little else.
See TURKEYS, page A6
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