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Monday, April 14, 2014
EGG HUNT • LOCAL, A4
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Genoa families celebrate Easter at annual event
Sycamore splits with W-Chicago
Crash kills woman; brother charged Sheriff’s office: DeKalb man was driving drunk in early-morning wreck where sister died By KATIE DAHLSTROM kdahlstrom@shawmedia.com DeKALB – Friends remembered Tiffany Taylor as a caring person who wanted to travel the world Sunday, the day after her brother was charged with aggravated DUI in the crash that killed her. About 40 people gathered in the rain Sunday at Liberty Park in DeKalb and released about 100 balloons with messages to her written on them. Tiffany was an old soul who was intelligent, loyal and laid back, friends said. She had two cats that she treated like children. “She wanted to see everything,” friend Amie Neumann said. “She was very
Tiffany Taylor
Tyrus M. Taylor
caring, very concerned with everyone.” Tyrus M. Taylor, 19, of the 1100 block of Market Street, DeKalb, was driving west on Plank Road toward Moose Range Road near Sycamore about 3:40 a.m. Saturday when his car crashed, throwing his 20-year-old sister from the vehicle and killing her, DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office said. Police charged him with
aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, improper lane usage and failure to reduce speed following the crash. Tiffany Taylor was pronounced dead at the scene. Tyrus Taylor told police he lost control of his 1994 Honda Accord, police said. The Honda left the road and rolled before it hit a utility pole, police said. Tyrus Taylor was taken to Kishwaukee Hospital in DeKalb, where he was treated for non life-threatening injuries that were no. Hospital officials would not disclose his condition Sunday. According to police, Tyrus Taylor was wearing a seatbelt during the incident, but
they did not know if Tiffany Taylor was. Friends said they were surprised to learn Tiffany was ejected from the car because she usually wore her seatbelt. Neumann said the siblings were headed home from a bonfire at the time of the crash. Where the two were coming from will be a key piece of the DeKalb County sheriff’s investigation, Chief Deputy Gary Dumdie said. “One aspect we’re still working on is where they were and where they obtained the alcohol,” Dumdie said. “Tyrus was underage, so that’s something we will
See FATAL CRASH, page A10
Katie Dahlstrom – kdahlstrom@shawmedia.com
Friends of Tiffany Taylor, who police said was killed in a DUI crash Saturday in Sycamore, sign a poster in her memory before releasing balloons Sunday at Liberty Park in DeKalb.
ACT debate ahead for Illinois
Tough tax votes looming for state By KERRY LESTER The Associated Press
year with the Partnership for Assessment of College Readiness exam, known as PARCC, to become the state-mandated test for all juniors. Continuing to fund the ACT while offering the PARCC exam is a crucial budget debate, said state Rep. Bob Pritchard, who serves as the House Republican spokesman on the Appropriations for Elementary and Secondary Education Committee. The ACT exam will cost $52.50 a test next year. Funding education costs presents a challenge as the state wrestles with letting the 5 percent income tax roll back to 3.75 percent as scheduled Jan. 1. If the
SPRINGFIELD – Faced with an expected $3 billion budget hole from an expiring income tax increase, Illinois lawmakers are grappling with whether to raise taxes to avoid major cuts to schools and social services next year. With six weeks left in the spring session, Democrats must weigh the political risks of extending a tax hike in a year Republicans are making streamlined government spending a focal point in their campaigns for governor and legislative seats. Lawmakers could make the 2011 temporary income tax increase permanent or change the state’s tax code from a “flat” tax, where everyone pays the same rate, to a progressive system, which taxes higher earners more. House Speaker Michael Madigan last week abandoned a third proposal that he’d floated, to boost education funding by tacking a 3 percent surcharge on all earned income over $1 million. Madigan couldn’t get enough votes to push his plan through the House, despite a Democratic supermajority of 71 members. Beyond the partisan divide, the Democratic caucuses in the House and Senate face internal battles. “Outsiders think that as a Democratic majority we’re monolithic,” said state Rep. Jack Franks of Marengo, who was one Democratic vote against the millionaires tax, and is opposed to the other two tax proposals as well. All 118 state representatives and 19 of 59 state senators are seeking re-election. During his budget address last month, Gov. Pat Quinn warned of “extreme and radical” cuts if the state’s current
See ACT, page A10
See TAX, page A10
Photos by Monica Maschak – mmaschak@shawmedia.com
Juniors Willy Ramirez (left) and Cody Wrobel work on solving a math problem on a practice test during an ACT preparation class April 9 at Sandwich High School.
State weighs no longer funding test, but students, colleges still value it By KATIE DAHLSTROM
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kdahlstrom@shawmedia.com DeKALB – The most important test Dylan Moore can imagine is about two weeks away. That’s why instead of spending an afternoon outside, he was in a packed classroom in Sandwich High School studying. Moore is about to face the ACT exam, the college readiness exam almost all Illinois high school juniors take annually. “It’s the biggest test of your life – other than your driver’s test,” Moore said. As DeKalb County students cram for the ACT exam in hopes of getting into college, state education officials and legislators debate how to continue fund-
How did you score on the ACT? Vote online now at Daily-Chronicle.com
Juniors Mark Lidinsky (left) and Brittany Reyes ask math teacher Mike Lee (center) for help on an ACT practice test at Sandwich High School. ing the test next year when new assessments are implemented. Illinois is one of nine states that require 11thgrade students to take the
test, which consists of multiple-choice sections in English, reading, math and science, plus an optional writing portion. Schools offer it during the school
day as part of the two-day Prairie State Achievement Exam. More than 140,000 high school juniors took the ACT last year and scored an average of 20.6 out of 36, data from the ACT organization shows. Moore hopes to score a 28 to make it easier for college. Like many of his fellow students, he ties his ACT score directly with his chances for success after high school. However, under new reforms, the ACT requirement will be phased out next
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