75 cents
Breaking news at Daily-Chronicle.com
Serving DeKalb County since 1879
y, February 19, 2014 * Wednesday,
OVEN-BAKED DISHES • FOOD, C1
NIU FOOTBALL • SPORTS, B1
Choose your favorite winter squash for gratin
Draft analysts high on Ward, split on Lynch
Details of fatal shooting released By KATIE DAHLSTROM
check on Cameron Lupton at a family member’s house on High Pointe Drive in DeKalb. Cameron Lupton was having a psychological breakdown and trying to get firearms at that house, Lowery said, adding it was difficult to definitively say why Cameron wanted the firearms. “Deductively I can say it was to act out what he was feeling at the time, with the potential of implementing
DeKalb police officers involved return to duty
kdahlstrom@shawmedia.com DeKALB – Two DeKalb police officers returned to work Tuesday, three weeks after fatally shooting a 28-year-old Malta man while he was attacking his parents with a knife, DeKalb Police Chief Gene Lowery said. Sgt. Thomas Petit and officer Mario Nonnenmann first tried to subdue Cameron D. Lupton with a Taser before shooting him once in a bed-
room after his stepmother, Charlotte Lupton, 67, told police he was having a psychological breakdown, Lowery said in a news release Tuesday. The funeral for Cameron Lupton is scheduled for Saturday, and Charlotte Lupton and his father Carl Lupton, 57, are recuperating after he stabbed them multiple times Jan. 28. “This is the most horrif-
ic and tragic event an officer or the family can be involved in,” Lowery said. “Human Cameron D. beings aren’t Lupton meant to take the lives of other human beings, but sometimes the circumstances might require we do that to save an innocent
from harm. I believe without the actions of these officers, the survivors would be dead.” Petit has been with the DeKalb Police Department for 22 years, Nonnenmann for 12, Lowery said. After an independent investigation by the Illinois State Police, both officers were screened and deemed mentally fit to return to duty, Lowery said. The Illinois State Police has
not handed over the investigation to DeKalb County State’s Attorney Richard Schmack, but Schmack said based on his conversations with state police he did not anticipate filing charges against the officers.
A psychological breakdown The incident began about 11:48 a.m. Jan. 28, when Charlotte Lupton asked police to
See SHOOTING, page A6
School’s air quality to get closer scrutiny D-428 hires firm to monitor Cortland Elementary plan By KATIE DAHLSTROM kdahlstrom@shawmedia.com
Photos by Monica Maschak – mmaschak@shawmedia.com
Principal Brett McPherson kisses a 3-week-old goat owned by student Bridget Halat on Tuesday during the Ag Olympics at Genoa-Kingston High School. McPherson won the honor of kissing the baby goat – with $52.22 in change collected by students in his name. A total of $175.93 was raised for the DeKalb County Animal Shelter.
DeKALB – The air at Cortland Elementary School will be more stringently monitored, school district officials decided Tuesday. During their board meeting, DeKalb School District 428 board members unanimously voted to hire Aires Consulting to continuously monitor air quality at the school. The hire comes 35 days after the Jan. 14 incident when 71 students and staff from Cortland received medical treatment after the odor of old trash from the nearby DeKalb County landfill run by Waste Management infiltrated the building’s ventilation system. Geoff Bacci, the certified industrial hygienist with Aires Consulting the district hired, reviewed the incident earlier this month, contending the odor was to blame for the incident and suggesting the district implement changes to the school’s air monitoring plan. For $21,000, Aires will ensure continuous monitoring, maintenance, analysis and monthly reporting on the hydrogen sulflide and carbon monoxide monitors at Cortland. The district will pay a $3,000 initial fee and $1,500 each month from March 1 through Feb. 28, 2015. The money will come from the school’s general operating fund.
See D-428, page A6
By DEBBIE BEHRENDS
On the Net
dbehrends@shawmedia.com In years past, FFA was a club for farm boys who intended to stay on the farm. Today, of the nearly 580,000 members nationwide, 44 percent are female, according to the national FFA website. And only about 25 percent live on a farm, said Travis Hughes, president of the Genoa-Kingston FFA chapter. More than 7,500 chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are celebrating FFA Week. Locally, the Genoa-Kingston, Hiawatha, Sycamore, DeKalb, Indian Creek, Hinckley-Big Rock and Somonauk-Leland-Sandwich chapters are celebrating with fun and educational events all week. Events include ag in the classroom lessons for grade school and middle school students, meals served to school staff and public supporters, petting zoos, tractors being driven to school, pedal tractor pulls and “Ag Olympics” on Tuesday at Genoa-Kingston
For video gallery of FFA Week events, visit Daily-Chronicle.com.
Republican gov. candidates debate By KERRY LESTER and SOPHIA TAREEN The Associated Press
Teacher Taryn Dennison “cheats” during a milk chugging competition by pouring her milk into her competitors’ cups Tuesday during the Ag Olympics at Genoa-Kingston High School. and Sycamore high schools and Friday at Indian Creek High School. During the afternoon assembly, Genoa-Kingston staff members were asked to participate in milk chugging, hay bale tossing, wheelbarrow races and a trivia contest. Several staff members were in the running to kiss a farm animal. Students
and staff voted with their spare change. Principal Brett McPherson won the honor of kissing a kid – a baby goat – with $52.22 in change collected in his name. A total of $175.93 was raised for the DeKalb County Animal Shelter. Band teacher Tom Rucker was in the running, as well. He
ran around the gym, cheering when McPherson was announced as the winner. Although they have a lot of fun, chapter members said FFA is so much more. “FFA has made me who I am today,” DeKalb chapter reporter Katie Arndt said. “It has helped me figure out where I belong.” Although she is one of the few who has an ag background, Arndt plans to be an ag teacher. “There’s a large disconnect between consumers and their food, and it’s important to tell ag stories,” Arndt said. Indian Creek chapter President Lauren Frances is planning a similar path. Frances said she took an intro to ag class as a freshman, igniting her passion for the industry.
See FFA, page A6
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois’ four Republican gubernatorial candidates said Tuesday that they’ll be willing to work with unions if elected but differed on how to approach the relationship during a downstate debate that largely focused on pension reform, taxes and just briefly on the personal issues that have dogged some of the candidates. Treasurer Dan Rutherford, businessman Bruce Rauner and state Sens. Kirk Dillard and Bill Brady kept the debate focused on how to defeat Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn, making only fleeting references to allegations of misconduct and negative ads that have surfaced in recent weeks. Rauner – who has been attacked in TV, radio and print ads sponsored by unions – said the relationship between government and unions is one of the most important issues in the state.
See DEBATE, page A6
Voice your opinion Which Republican governor candidate won Tuesday’s debate? Vote online at Daily-Chronicle.com.
Inside today’s Daily Chronicle Lottery Local news Obituaries
A2 A2-4 A4
National and world news Opinions Sports
Weather A2, 4, 6 A7 B1-4
Advice Comics Classified
C4 C5 D1-4
High:
38
Low:
30