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Impasse has many on edge Loss of state budget funds would hurt county agencies By ERIC R. OLSON eolson@shawmedia.com
Monica Synett – msynett@shawmedia.com
Irene Clay, 86, of Fairdale, sits by the window Thursday of a relative’s house in Kirkland, where she is a guest until her home in Fairdale can be rebuilt. Clay survived two separate cancers and the April 9 tornado that destroyed the home she bought in 1955. She now battles lung cancer and wishes to have her home rebuilt in time for her enjoy it. Today, the DeKalb County Planning and Zoning Committee and the DeKalb County Board will meet to discuss the rezoning requests regarding Fairdale.
Family looks to rebuild Fairdale house for mother battling lung cancer
DeKALB – Alan Phillips will be in Springfield today to testify before Illinois lawmakers about the effect the loss of the state funding will have on Northern Illinois University. Phillips, vice president of administration and finance at NIU, said the university will be able to cover its operating costs for months to come. There will be immediate effects, however, including the loss of state grants and a halt to work on a $27.4 million renovation project at the Stevens Building, home to the university’s School of Theatre Arts and its Anthropology Department. “Every day they don’t re-
solve this just makes it more difficult to attract and retain not only students, but also attract and retain staff and faculty,” Phillips said Tuesday. “If this doesn’t get resolved, we are certainly at risk for losing some of our best and most valuable faculty and other key staff members.” Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner and lawmakers in the Democratic controlled state Legislature are at loggerheads over a budget for the state’s new fiscal year, which begins today. Rauner has vetoed much of the budget plan sent to him by the Legislature, which included a shortfall of more than $3 billion. Democrats want to see an
See FUNDING, page A6
By ADAM POULISSE apoulisse@shawmedia.com FAIRDALE – Irene Clay was watching TV upstairs April 9 when her son-in-law told her to get in the basement because a tornado was heading their way. “We got down there, and we saw it coming, and that was it,” said Clay, 86. “The house was gone and everything. We looked up and the sky was there.” Clay – who lived with her daughter Geri Hopper, sonin-law Ron Hopper and their Labrador retriever puppy Isabelle – plans to rebuild a smaller version of the house she’s called a home since moving there from Rockford in 1955. But time is of the essence. Clay has stage 3 lung cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy. She has lost most of her hair already. She previously survived uterine cancer, breast cancer and a stroke – plus the April 9 tornado that killed two women in Fairdale. “I don’t have too many years left, so ... in case I die, I want to leave something for my kids,” Clay said. Tonight, DeKalb County’s Planning and Zoning Board and the County Board will vote – most likely in favor of – rezoning the tiny unincorporated community into a mixed-use area, which would allow residents such as Clay and her family the freedom to rebuild their homes as they wish, and not necessarily exactly as they were. With winds at about 200 mph, the tornado destroyed 17 homes and damaged about 50. Most of the residents have expressed interest in rebuilding in a rezoned Fairdale. Clay, the Hoppers and the family pooch are staying with the family of Denise Wil-
Michael Madigan Ill. House speaker
John Cullerton Ill. Senate president
Gov. Bruce Rauner
AP file photos
Democrats propose 1-month state budget
lit, who is related to Geri, in Kirkland, but that’s not the best option for Clay, her son Mike said. “She needs it back, because it’s a home,” he said. “This is nice being here. She’s treated well and has everything she needs, but it’s not her home, and that’s what she really wants.” Clay said she plans to downsize her two-story-plusa-basement home into one story, but still keep the basement, the thing that saved her life, she said. While reflecting on the disaster last week in the Willit’s living room, Clay closed her
eyes and imagined exactly what her dream home would look like – three bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room, two bathrooms and a basement. “I just want a house. Just a small house,” Clay said. “I don’t care how big it is.” However, Clay has hit some obstacles along the way. She said her insurance policy only provided her with the actual cash value of the home, not replacement costs, which has prevented her from being able to afford rebuilding, or affording a $120,000 modular home, the cheapest they’ve found. “A lot of people, especial-
ABOVE: Teri Peterson, of Shabbona, sorts through the rubble April 11 of her mother Irene Clay’s property two days after a tornado tore through Fairdale. Her sister, Geri Hopper, and brother-in-law, Ron Hopper, also lived with Clay at the time. Clay owned a two-story home on Brown Street and is hoping to build a one-story home if the DeKalb County Planning and Zoning Committee and the DeKalb County Board pass the rezoning amendment at today’s meeting. LEFT: Irene Clay’s home on Brown Street in Fairdale as seen on a Google Streetview map created before the April 9 tornado. Clay bought the two-story home in 1955. Monica Synett file photo – msynett@shawmedia. com and photo courtesy of Google Streetview Maps
ly older people, seem not to understand that stuff,” Geri Hopper said. “I think they should explain it better because I don’t think anybody would buy a policy like that otherwise. It’s not in your
See CLAY, page A6
Gov. Rauner ready to reject it The ASSOCIATED PRESS SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner appeared ready Tuesday to reject a Democratic proposal aimed at keeping state services functioning for another month, leaving the state without a way to pay bills and leading to questions about what will happen this morning. House Speaker Michael Madigan, the state’s most powerful Democrat, said Tuesday his short-term fix would provide $2.3 billion to cover one month of state police protection, Medicaid health care coverage for the poor and disabled, child care and more. “The purpose here is to provide that we would avoid the government shutdown,” the Chicago Democrat told reporters at the state Capitol after a day of politicians scurrying without a clear finish line in sight. Majority Democrats in the Senate were on board
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with the stop-gap plan. Asked whether the governor would support Madigan’s temporary budget, deputy chief of staff Mike Schrimpf pointed to Rauner’s statement earlier in June that “an unbalanced short-term budget with no real reforms is still a phony budget and unacceptable to the people of Illinois.” Absent a budget deal, it’s unclear what will happen with state government at the start of business today. Employee unions have said workers will punch in; there is enough money to pay them through mid-July. Services provided by private vendors could wind down or end because there’s no guarantee there will be payment for them. Rauner spent Tuesday morning visiting workers at state agencies, assuring them that he will do what he can to make sure they continue getting paid – the Democratic
See BUDGET, page A6
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