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Jun e 3, 2015 • $1 .0 0
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DAILY CHRONICLE Kaneland falls to Notre Dame in supersectional, 4-1 / B1
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Hiring freeze up for debate
HAWK DYNASTY?
DeKalb committee divided on issue By BRITTANY KEEPERMAN bkeeperman@shawmedia.com
AP photo
Blackhawks (from left) Duncan Keith, Brandon Saad, Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Niklas Hjalmarsson celebrate a Toews goal in Game 7 on Saturday against the Anaheim Ducks. The Hawks open the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday night in Tampa Bay.
Blackhawks on quest to win 3rd Stanley Cup in 6 years By JASON SCHAUMBURG jschaumburg@shawmedia.com When the Blackhawks take the ice Wednesday night in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final in Tampa, Florida, they’ll be attempting to do something no team has done in the NHL salary cap era: Win it all for a third time. Only the Los Angeles Kings and the Blackhawks have won two Stanley Cups since a salary cap was installed before the 2006-07 season. The Tampa Bay Lightning stand in the way of the Blackhawks winning their third Stanley Cup in six seasons. Here’s a closer look at the series, the teams involved and the players who make each team go:
Series glance GAME 1: Blackhawks at Tampa Bay 7 p.m. Wednesday, NBC, AM-720 GAME 2: Blackhawks at Tampa Bay 6:15 p.m. Saturday, NBC, AM-720 GAME 3: Tampa Bay at Blackhawks 7 p.m. Monday, NBCSN, AM-720 GAME 4: Tampa Bay at Blackhawks 7 p.m. June 10, NBCSN, AM-720 GAME 5: Blackhawks at Tampa Bay 7 p.m. June 13, NBC, AM-720*
Stanley Cup history An Original Six team, the Blackhawks are trying to win their sixth Stanley Cup in franchise history. After winning Cups in 1934, 1938 and 1961, the Blackhawks ended a 49-year drought by beating the Philadelphia Flyers in 2010. Three years later, the Blackhawks knocked off the Boston Bruins. In 22 seasons of existence, the Lightning have won one Stanley Cup – in 2004 when Tampa Bay beat the Calgary Flames. Blackhawks center Brad Richards was on that Lightning team, and was named the
AP photo
Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos has seven goals this postseason. Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the playoffs’ MVP.
How they got here A first-round series win over the Nashville Predators (4-2) set up a second-round series against the Minnesota Wild for the Blackhawks. This season was the third consecutive that the Hawks and Wild met in the
playoffs. It also was the third consecutive season the Blackhawks trounced Minnesota from the playoffs, this time in a four-game sweep. Appearing in the Western Conference final for the fifth time in seven years, the Hawks ousted the Ducks, winning Game 7 in Anaheim after
See HAWKS, page A6
GAME 6: Tampa Bay at Blackhawks 7 p.m. June 15, NBC, AM-720* GAME 7: Blackhawks at Tampa Bay 7 p.m. June 17, NBC, AM-720* * – if necessary
Inside Blackhawks players reflect on how being a member of the team has allowed them to experience the success of multiple Stanley Cup playoff appearances. PAGE B1
DeKALB – A hiring freeze was the subject of debate Tuesday as DeKalb Financial Advisory Committee members weighed the needs of city staff against limited funds. At the beginning of the fiscal 2016 budget discussion, city staff members identified a need for an IT director and HR director. But not all Financial Advisory Committee members were convinced there was room in the budget for those salaries. “We need to freeze hiring at current levels until revenue grows by at least 3 percent,” Tom Teresinski, Financial Advisory Committee member, said. The IT director position has been removed from the budget, but $50,000 has been added to fund a strategic IT needs assessment, Finance Director Cathy Haley said. The city has budgeted $250,000 for new enterprise-level financial software, but that’s just the first part of providing the city with a new, fully integrated technology system, Financial Advisory Committee Chairman Mike Peddle said. “We need to assess – whether we spend $50,000 on an assessment or not – where gaps are. … What vendor is most capable to provide a system that will integrate finance, human resources and public safety,” Peddle said. The HR director position is still budgeted for, and Teresinski said city staff should figure out how to best manage the money available for salaries. “What I’m talking about is the total pie and capping that pie at a level that is sustainable,” he said. “If those positions are the best place to spend that money, the staff has $34 million to figure out the best way to do that.” The Financial Advisory Committee was split, 3-2, on its recommendation on the hiring freeze, with Teresinski and Mike Verbic in favor and Peddle, Connie Golden and Lynn Neeley against. Budget recommendations will go before the City Council on June 8.
Demolition permit issued for fire-ravaged Wendy’s building By ADAM POULISSE apoulisse@shawmedia.com SYCAMORE – The city of Sycamore has issued a demolition permit to level the gutted Wendy’s restaurant at 439 E. State St. that was destroyed by fire in January, but the eyesore won’t be razed anytime soon. The property owner, who lives in China, and his agent, who lives in Washington state, still need to obtain permits
from Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, the Illinois Department of Transportation and the state before demolition can begin, Sycamore Building and Engineer Director John Sauter told the City Council during its Monday meeting. “We’re doing the best we can. We’re putting the heat on,” Sauter told the council. “There won’t be activity out there immediately, but we’ll keep pushing.”
Northern Illinois Services will be responsible for the demolition. On Tuesday morning, Sauter met City Manager Brian Gregory at the site of the damaged restaurant and concluded that demolition will encompass 75 percent of the pavement on the property, Sauter said, and also will stretch out onto State, which is Route 64. “We’re trying to create a green buffer out along East
State Street and then to the north of the building, leaving a pavement for vehicular traffic,” Sauter said. In addition, the IDOT permit will allow demolition crews to cut open a portion of State to access the water main and terminate water service to the former restaurant. Not having a locally based ownership has slowed down the process, Sauter said. “If it were one of our local
guys, certainly we could call them up and meet them out there and it would get done much quicker,” he said. At the council meeting, Mundy said “that’s the price you pay” when not dealing with local businesses. “It’s way past due to have a bare piece of land that will attract, hopefully, another eatery on our east side,” Mundy said. “It was the only one of its kind there.”
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Going green
Near and far
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Indulge in a simple tossed salad this summer / B10
Tourism spending on the rise in DeKalb County for the 5th straight year / A4
DeKalb woman to participate in World Race / A3
Advice ................................ B4 Classified....................... B6-9 Comics ............................... B5 Local News.................... A3-4 Lottery................................ A2 Nation&World.......... A2, 6-8
“We’re doing the best we can. We’re putting the heat on. There won’t be activity out there immediately, but we’ll keep pushing.” John Sauter Sycamore Building and Engineer director
Obituaries .........................A4 Opinion...............................A9 Puzzles ............................... B4 Sports..............................B1-3 State ..........................A2, 4, 6 Weather ........................... A10