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Waterman holiday train vandalized “If these people want to be the Grinch that tried to steal Christmas, they’ll have to go someplace else to steal it,” Robinson said Thursday. “My wife [Charleen] and I already made the decision we’re going to continue.” Pete and Charleen Robinson have run the Waterman and Western Railroad Holiday Lights Train along with several volunteers for 21 years. The holiday train rides, hot chocolate and popcorn are free because they don’t want any child to miss out, Pete Robinson said. They’re committed to the attraction. On Thursday, the train was running just for a
By ERIC R. OLSON eolson@shawmedia.com
Photo provided
One of the arches that make up the three arch snowfall display was bent so close to the tracks by vandals the one-quarter scale Waterman & Western Railroad train could not pass through on the tracks in Waterman Lions Park. Operator Pete Robinson estimates the vandals, who struck sometime between Friday and early Saturday, caused about $20,000 worth of damage to the Holiday Lights Train displays.
WATERMAN – When Pete Robinson first discovered the damage that vandals had done, he had to stop and think whether to continue to operate the Holiday Lights Train this season. After about 10 minutes, however, he got to work. With the help of about 10 friends, he was able to repair some of what he estimates is $20,000 in damage to the various displays, lights and other set pieces around the one-quarter scale Waterman & Western Railroad in Waterman Lions Park.
U.S. in midst of digital dilemma with Sony hack By ERIC TUCKER and TAMI ABDOLLAH
Leads sought Anyone with information about the vandalism at the Holiday Lights Train in Waterman Lions Park can call Crime Stoppers at 815-8953272 or email crimestoppers@ dekalbcounty.org. Tips can be provided anonymously. Crime Stoppers pays rewards of up to $1,000.
handful of people from the Open Door Rehabilitation Center in Sandwich. There have been incidents of vandalism before, but the damage done overnight Friday into Saturday was worse than anything he’d seen before,
Robinson said. Wire-framed decorations were pulled up and bent, more than 200 light bulbs were broken and decorations – including the baby Jesus from the Nativity scene – were thrown over a fence and into a nearby softball field. The three giant arches 20 feet high that make up the train’s “snowfall” display were bent and broken. They’re propped up now with temporary supports so the train can pass under them, but Robinson said he’ll have to build new ones this summer, likely at a cost of about $5,000 each, Robinson said.
See VANDALISM, page A6
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Do you agree with Sony Pictures’ decision not to release “The InterWASHINGTON – The detecview”? Vote online at Daily-Chrontive work blaming North Korea for the Sony hacker break-in icle.com. appears so far to be largely circumstantial, The Associated Press has learned. The dramatic conclusion of a Korean role is based on subtle clues in the hacking tools left behind and the involvement of at least one computer in Bolivia previously traced to other attacks blamed on the North Koreans. Experts cautioned that hackers usually employ disinformation to throw investigators off their tracks, using borrowed tools, tampering with logs and inserting false references to language or nationality. The hackers are believed to have been conducting surveillance on the network at Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. since at least the spring, based on computer forensic evidence and traffic analysis, a person with knowledge of the investigation told the AP. If the hackers hadn’t made their presence known by making demands and destroying files, they probably would still be inside because there was no indication their presence was about to be detected, the person said. This person, who described the evidence as circumstantial, spoke only on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk openly about the case. Still, the evidence has been considered conclusive enough that a U.S. official told the AP that federal investigators have now connected the Sony hacking to North Korea. In public, White House spokesman Josh Earnest on Thursday declined to blame North Korea, saying he didn’t want to get ahead of investigations by the Justice Department and the FBI. Earnest said evidence shows the hacking was carried out by a “sophisticated actor” with “malicious intent.” All this has led to a dilemma for the Obama administration: How and whether to respond? An earlier formal statement by the White House Na-
tional Security Council also did not name North Korea but noted that “criminals and foreign countries regularly seek to gain access to government and private sector networks” and said “we are considering a range of options in weighing a potential response. “ The U.S. official who cited North Korea spoke on condition of anonymity because that official was not authorized to openly discuss an ongoing criminal case. U.S. options against North Korea are limited. The U.S. already has a trade embargo in place, and there is no appetite for military action. Even if investigators could identify and prosecute the individual hackers believed responsible, there’s no guarantee that any who are overseas would ever see a U.S. courtroom. Hacking back at North Korean targets by U.S. government experts could encourage further attacks against American targets. “We don’t sell them anything, we don’t buy anything from them and we don’t have diplomatic relations,” said William Reinsch, a former senior U.S. Commerce Department official who was responsible for enforcing international sanctions against North Korea and other countries. “There aren’t a lot of public options left.” Sony abruptly canceled the Thursday release of its comedy, “The Interview,” which the hackers had demanded partly because it included a scene depicting the assassination of North Korea’s leader. Sony cited the hackers’ threats of violence at movie theaters that planned to show the movie, although the Homeland Security Department said there was no credible intelligence of active plots. The hackers had been releasing onto the Internet highly sensitive – and sometimes embarrassing – confidential files
Photos by Danielle Guerra – dguerra@shawmedia.com
Jane Bastian, a resident at Oak Crest DeKalb Area Retirement Center, gets help with her ornament from third-grader Ezell Dunning, 8, from Littlejohn Elementary School in DeKalb. On Thursday during the Littlejohn Day of Caring at Oak Crest, about 40 third-graders from the school made ornaments with the center’s residents. All of the students at Littlejohn Elementary School participated in the Day of Caring event and each grade level helped the community in a different way.
Littlejohn Elementary pupils do service projects around DeKalb By DARIA SOKOLOVA wdsokolova@shawmedia.com DeKALB – Bella Schmerbach cut a robin ornament out of the craft kit and Alexandra Warrington worked on a snowman as they shared part of the holiday with the residents of Oak Crest DeKalb Area Retirement Center. The third-graders’ visit came as part of the Day of Caring at Littlejohn Elementary School. “I think any chance you can get those two generations together is significant for both,” said Linda Sherman, resident service coordinator at Oak Crest. “I think the kids remember those visits and the residents remember those [visits].” About 360 students from Littlejohn Elementary School spent Thursday morning on different service projects around the city. Fourth-graders made
Littlejohn third-graders Ezell Dunning, 8, and Julian Resendez, 8, help Oak Crest resident Ellen Hill with her ornament Thursday during the Littlejohn Elementary School Day of Caring. blankets for the Warming Center and later delivered them to the DeKalb Police Department. Fifth-graders were at the Barb Food Mart at Huntley Middle School, unloading supplies for the food pantry, which provides free food on a weekly basis to families with children in DeKalb schools. Members of TAILS Hu-
mane Society also gave presentations to first- and second-graders at Littlejohn, said Darla Desort, a thirdgrade teacher at the school. Third-grader Layla Ball, who said Thursday was her first visit to Oak Crest, said she especially liked talking to people there. “The kids are always really excited about this proj-
ect,” Desort said. “They always love the opportunity to come out and share a story or share a craft and just to meet new people, and I think the community members love to have the kids in and be able to see them in a different light.” As the ornament-making began, Oak Crest residents and staff looked on as students made Christmas ornaments from foam kits. Some tables had snowflakes, while others had Christmas characters such as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Santa Claus. For the past two years of the event, Desort said organizers have been trying to pick activities that would be fun to do in the short time, but mostly allow students and residents to make some connections. “I think any chance you can get those two generations together is
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DeKalb students have annual lunch with senior citizens / B10
Akst: Sony hackers create panic throughout U.S. based on silly movie / A2
Cortland teen moved to Peoria hospital after crash / A3
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