TUESDAY
May 26 , 2 015 • $ 1 .0 0
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
DAILY CHRONICLE No. 1 DeKalb baseball hopes to take home regional / B1
76 59 Complete forecast on page A8
daily-chronicle.com
SERVING DEKALB COUNTY SINCE 1879
LOW
HIGH
Facebook.com/dailychronicle
@dailychronicle
DeKalb High School singing group visits New York City
MEMORIAL DAY
Gathering to remember
Community support makes trip possible By ADAM POULISSE apoulisse@shawmedia.com DeKALB – Thanks to community outreach, the DeKalb High School music department’s a cappella group Enharmonic Fusion enjoyed a pitch-perfect trip to New York City last month. Through fundraisers and donations, the vocals-only group raised $25,000 to travel to the Big Apple and participate in the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella Finals on April 17 at the Peter Norton Symphony Space on the upper west side of Manhattan, where the team received one of the top scores. “It’s amazing that they support things like this and support our students,” choir director Travis Erikson said. “It’s overwhelming.” The biggest donors included DeKalb Elks Lodge, Hayes Body Shop, DeKalb Music Boosters, DeKalb Barb Boosters, the Irving family, and Ron and Nancy Proesel, but Erikson declined to say how much each specifically donated. Enharmonic Fusion received a score of 288, Erikson said. That wasn’t enough to place in the coveted top three, but barely missed the mark since third place scored slightly more than 300. They performed a cappella renditions of “This is Gospel” by Panic! at the Disco, “I’m Not the Only One” by Sam Smith and a Meghan Trainor/Olly Murs mash-up. “We didn’t place in the top three of the 12,” Erikson said, “but I was happy with our scores.” Senior Sara Jesmer, who went on the same trip her freshman year, said the trip was “amazing” to perform with other talented a cappella groups, recalling one that used their music to promote the “Black Lives Matter” movement. “It really took a cappella and the whole music experience to a really professional level, and it was really nice to sing alongside those people,” Jesmer said. During the trip, students also volunteered with Carnegie Hall Community Outreach, and serenaded Matthew Morrison from “Glee” as he left the Broadway production of “Finding Neverland.” Morrison posted the video of Enharmonic Fusion and others to his Instagram page. Senior Matt Petersen said he was grateful for the community’s help. “I don’t think there’s words to thank people for supporting us,” he said. “It was really special what they did for us.”
Photos by Danielle Guerra – dguerra@shawmedia.com
Members of American Legion Post 99 and Sycamore VFW 5768 lead the parade through the Avenue of Flags on Monday in Elmwood Cemetery during the Sycamore Memorial Day program.
Those who served honored on Memorial Day in county By BRITTANY KEEPERMAN bkeeperman@shawmedia.com DeKALB – Carolyn Smrz, her husband and sons, Ethan and William, ages 3 and 5, stood by the corner of Lincoln Highway and North Second Street on Monday, waiting for the DeKalb Memorial Day parade to begin. This was the family’s second year in attendance at the parade, which kicked off at 9 a.m. in downtown DeKalb. “We usually go out of town but the little guys love parades, so we’ve been coming out,” Smrz said, adding that she had a cousin who served in the Navy. Despite the rain, spectators lined the streets to witness the
procession that began with motorcycles and police vehicles, followed by marching veterans, service members, Boy Scout troops and other community groups. Deborah and Steven Krausy, of DeKalb, stood on the sidelines as the procession started. Krausy said for her, Memorial Day was a remembrance of her father who served in the Korean War. The DeKalb parade proceeded to the Ellwood House for a Memorial Day program, which Krausy said she attends every year. Memorial Day programs took place Monday morning across DeKalb County. The Sycamore DeKalb Post 66 American Legion member Jerry Busby of DeKalb salutes the Memorial Day observance event flag before the start of the DeKalb Memorial Day parade Monday on Third
See MEMORIAL DAY, page A4
Street in downtown DeKalb. Busby is a Korean War veteran who served in the Army.
Obama pays tribute to fallen service members By DARLENE SUPERVILLE The Associated Press ARLINGTON, Va. – President Barack Obama on Monday saluted Americans who died in battle, saying the country must “never stop trying to fully repay them” for their sacrifices. He noted it was the first Memorial Day in 14 years without U.S. forces engaged in a major ground war. Speaking under sunny skies to some 5,000 people in an amphitheater on the hallowed
grounds of Arlington National Cemetery, Obama said the graveyard is “more than a final resting place of heroes.” “It is a reflection of America itself,” he said, citing racial and religious diversity in the backgrounds of the men and woman who paid the ultimate sacrifice to preserve “the ideals that bind us as one nation.” His appearance is an annual rite for presidents at the cemetery nestled among verdant hills overlooking the Potomac River. It came months
after the end of the U.S. combat mission in Afghanistan, where the number of stationed troops has been reduced to about 10,000 from a peak of more than 100,000. His tribute also took place against a backdrop of the increasingly complex U.S.-led effort to help Iraq defeat the Islamic State extremist group, which has been gaining momentum in recent weeks by capturing Ramadi there and taking Palmyra in neighboring Syria.
Obama made no mention of America’s participation with other nations in the effort to stop the Islamic State. His effort there has come under intensifying criticism since the fall of Ramadi with lawmakers calling for a bigger show of American force there, including ground troops. Vice President Joe Biden spoke Monday with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-AbaAP photo di and pledged full U.S. support Visitors look at the names Monday at the wall of the Vietnam Veterans
See SERVICE, page A4
Memorial in Washington, during the annual Memorial Day observance ceremony.
SPORTS
LOCAL NEWS
MARKETPLACE
WHERE IT’S AT
No defense
Lending a hand
Anniversary
Hub Arkush: Cutting Ray McDonald Bears’ only option / B1
Day of Caring event seeking volunteers for hands-on projects / A3
Wiltse’s Farm Produce celebrates 50 years / A6
Advice ................................ B4 Classified....................... B6-8 Comics ............................... B5 Local News........................ A3 Lottery................................ A2 Nation&World...........A2, 4-5
Obituaries .........................A4 Opinion...............................A7 Puzzles ............................... B4 Sports..............................B1-3 State ...............................A2-4 Weather .............................A8
Customer’s Choice: Big Savings for Small Businesses Save money – your way! A second digital phone line for 99¢ or a second phone free. Limited Time Offer – Act Today!
dnacom.com/morebusiness
(815) 217-0267 adno=0324617