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Wednesday, May 7, 2014
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Maddie Frye
Arrests made in school break-ins District 428 burglaries lead to charges against two DeKalb teenagers By KATIE DAHLSTROM kdahlstrom@shawmedia.com DeKALB – Police say a pair of local teenagers got away with several burglaries at local public schools, but they were finally apprehended when they broke into a DeKalb church Tuesday. DeKalb police arrested DeKalb residents Christopher Becker and Justin Butz, both 18, after they responded to
a report of a break-in at the DeKalb Cathedral of Praise at 1126 S. 1st St. in DeKalb. According to a police news release, police found Becker near the building in possession of burglary tools. Police said Becker admitted to trying to break into the church’s office and later admitted he and Butz committed several burglaries at District 428 schools since April 11. Police later took Butz into custo-
Fourth St. They subsequently broke into and stole items from Lincoln Elementary and Tyler Elementary schools and Huntley Middle School, police said. Becker was charged with Justin Christopher eight counts of burglary, six Butz Becker counts of criminal damage to state-supported properdy at his home. Becker and Butz first ty, three counts of criminal caused damage to the con- defacement to property and cession building April 11 at theft. Butz was charged with Huntley Middle School, 1514 S. seven counts of burglary, six
counts of criminal damage to state supported property and theft. Becker and Butz also were charged in connection with a burglary at the Fairview Cemetery that was reported Tuesday after they admitted to committing the crime. Police recovered more than $500 in cash, candy, keys, a cash register and a trumpet the two had taken during the burglaries.
Detective Lt. Bob Redel said some of the schools were broken into more than once, adding he did not know why Becker and Butz targeted the schools. Redel said Becker and Butz had attended DeKalb schools, although he did not know if either graduated. “They did not give us any great reason for why they did it,” Redel said. “If they saw
See ARRESTS, page A6
College shows off new health facility
‘BRAIN DRAIN’
By ANDREA AZZO aazzo@shawmedia.com
Danielle Guerra – dguerra@shawmedia.com
Northern Illinois University Leadership, Educational Psychology & Foundations program coordinator Rosita Lopez hugs Jennifer Berne, literacy department chairwoman, at Lopez’s retirement party Friday in Graham Hall at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. Lopez has been working at NIU for 19 years and is one of the many retirees in Illinois who stand to lose hundreds of dollars a month from their pension if they don’t retire now.
Pension fix spurs wave of retirements at NIU By KATIE DAHLSTROM kdahlstrom@shawmedia.com DeKALB – Rosita Lopez planned to leave Northern Illinois University in 2015, but an error in the state’s pension overhaul bill is pushing her and up to 800 NIU employees to retire earlier than they anticipated or risk losing some retirement benefits. The landmark pension reform bill passed by state legislators in December calculates university retir-
ees’ benefits as of last year instead of this year, which could reduce retirement benefits for some more than anticipated. The glitch has caused university employees throughout the state to retire before the law goes into effect, and leaves universities to plan for a flood of retirements. “We’re still trying to determine how many will retire,” NIU President Doug Baker said. “We’re losing a lot of wisdom and exper-
tise.”
WAVE OF RETIREMENTS Illinois lawmakers passed the pension reform bill in December to address the $100 billion shortfall in retirement benefits. The bill cuts cost-of-living increases and caps the amount of earnings that can be used toward retirement benefits. The changes take effect in June and July, but the constitutionality of the bill is being challenged in
court; on Friday, the State Universities Annuitants Association, which represents university employees and retirees, filed a motion in Sangamon County court asking for the bill to be set aside until the constitutionality is decided. But many public university employees have already decided to retire because of the changes in how benefits are calculated. After public university officials in April found the mistake that would further
reduce pension payouts, many more have decided to leave. The bill was supposed to calculate university retirees’ benefits based on June 30, 2014, even if they retire after that date. However the way the bill was written, benefits are calculated as of June 30, 2013. The mistake would cost retirees under the money purchase option a year’s worth of contributions and
See NIU, page A6
MALTA – Mary Ann Sullivan Pluta never realized how good it feels to get a massage, even though she gives massages to others often. Sullivan Pluta, a massage therapy student at Kishwaukee College, received one during a massage demonstration Tuesday that was part of an open house showing off the college’s new health wing. “To be in a state-of-the-art training facility is a very effective way to spoil students,” she joked as her feet were being massaged. The Terry and Sherrie Martin Health Careers Wing at Kishwaukee College, 21193 Malta Road, Malta, was formally unveiled Tuesday during an open house that included self-given tours of the facility and remarks by officials. Perhaps the health facility’s biggest attraction was its high-fidelity patient simulators that can talk, sweat, bleed and breathe. A program can even set health conditions that the simulators can have. Carol Quenett, former dean of career technology at Kishwaukee
See HEALTH FACILITY, page A6
Andrea Azzo – aazzo@shawmedia.com
Terry Martin holds his granddaughter, Wren Martin, on Tuesday during the formal unveiling of the Terry and Sherrie Martin Health Careers Wing at Kishwaukee College in Malta. Next to Terry is his wife, Sherrie, and Wren’s twin brother, Archie Martin.
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