SATURDAY
Ma rch 14 , 2015 • $1 .0 0
‘WE MADE IT SO FAR’
NORTHWEST
Marengo falls to Rockford Lutheran in sectional final / C1
HERALD RALD
HIGH
LOW
54 31 Complete forecast on page A10
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Grant freeze sets back CL project Improvements to Main Beach up in the air in wake of Gov. Rauner’s action By KEVIN P. CRAVER kcraver@shawmedia.com Two $400,000 state checks – one for work already done and another for future work – will not be sent to the Crystal Lake Park District because of a spending freeze by Gov. Bruce Rauner. Rauner on Thursday announced the indefinite suspension of all state grants for park district construction projects as he continues to attempt to tackle a $1.6 billion budget deficit. The Crystal
Lake Park District was set to get one $400,000 grant to cover about one-third of the $1.2 million cost of last fall’s renovation of Woodscreek Park, and had learned in January it would get another $400,000 to jump-start renovation projects at Main Beach. But the district received notice that the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development grant administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources has been halted, park district Executive Director Jason Herbster
said. The district was told to submit its costs, but Herbster said he is unsure how much, if anything, the district will receive. “The grant is a great way to get projects done. We have a really good track reBruce Rauner cord with getting them,” he said Friday. “We don’t have a lot of capital dollars available to us.”
Rauner in his State of the State Address and his subsequent proposed 2016 budget warned of the need for deep cuts and shared sacrifice as the state grapples with a significant deficit, the worst credit rating of all 50 states, and at least $111 billion in unfunded pension liability – about one dollar in four collected by the state now goes to paying retired state employees. Rauner’s first executive action upon taking the oath of office was an order to all
state agencies to freeze nonessential spending. His announcement to suspend park grants is the latest attempt to grapple with the state’s finances by diminishing what the state doles out to local units of government. County and municipal governments and universities have been strenuously protesting his plans to reduce their share of tax revenue. So has the Illinois Association of Park Districts,
See GRANTS, page A7
“The suspension [of state grants] not only threatens jobs that are helping to grow Illinois’ economy, it creates exposure to the local taxpayers for existing contractual obligations and project costs.” Illinois Association of Park Districts
Questions surround Schock’s finances Lawmaker benefited from donor projects By JEFF HORWITZ and STEPHEN BRAUN The Associated Press WASHINGTON – Illinois Rep. Aaron Schock has built much of his personal wealth over a decade through real estate investments with political donors, an Associated Press review found. His relationships with other contributors, which afforded him flights on private planes and other expenses, are already under scrutiny. D o n o r s built, financed and later Aaron Schock purchased a house Schock owned as an investment in a suburb of Peoria. Schock owns a stake in a Peoria apartment complex involving other contributors. And he pushed for a federal appropriation that would have benefited a donor’s development project, an Associated Press review found. Schock, a 33-year-old rising Republican star named last year to a midlevel leadership role in the House, has disclosed personal wealth in a range centered on $1.4 million. He’s made precocious business acumen a part of his appeal since joining Congress in 2009, sometimes calling himself a real estate developer.
Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com
The SEDOM basketball team huddles together before its final homecoming game Friday, which was played against Kirk School at Northwood Middle School in Woodstock. After 50 years, SEDOM will be closing its facility at year’s end. Homecoming events this past week included superhero day, a bubble assembly, pajama day, a school movie viewing and a pep assembly on spirit day.
Bittersweet celebration After 50 years, SEDOM’s final homecoming emotional for some By SARAH STRZALKA editorial@nwherald.com WOODSTOCK – Signs with sayings such as “I mustache u to vote for John” and “Katie, Katie, she’s your lady!” were taped to the walls at the SEDOM Center on Friday as homecoming celebrations wrapped
up for the last time ever at the school. After 50 years, the special education district will be closing its doors at the end of the school year. “Welcome to the SEDOM Homecoming 2015 pep rally!” the emcee announced over the loudspeaker. “Let’s hear you Panthers roar one
more time!” Cheerleaders were announced before forming a tunnel to introduce the basketball team ahead of the evening’s basketball game at Northwood Middle School against Kirk School. SEDOM and Kirk School had been playing each other for homecoming since 1980.
First on the court was student Austin, who threw his hands in the air like he owned the place and jumped around. He wasn’t shy in front of the crowd. “They are peers here,” nurse Julie Tropp said. “The whole building
See SEDOM, page A7
See SCHOCK, page A2
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Lakewood urged to think creatively about unused land at RedTail Golf Club / A3 SPORTS
How not to use the ‘R-word’ Greenwood Elementary School assembly designed to remind students to treat all kids with respect / A3
Keeping focus On Campus: Richmond-Burton grad Garrett Sutton heads to NCAA wrestling nationals / C1
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