MONDAY, MARCH 24, 2014
WWW.NWHERALD.COM
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Creator of Santa Run starts a 5K for veterans
Degree’s value
GROWS Economic disparities increasing among youngest workers
By JEFF ENGELHARDT jengelhardt@shawmedia.com
Photos by Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com
Kristal Nance, 20, of McHenry stocks a book on the shelf while working March 6 at the McHenry County College book store in Crystal Lake. Nance has been part of the work study program at the college since August. TOP: Student employees Justin Rodriguez (left), 24, of Richmond and Natalie Diversiev, 20, of Crystal Lake work at the advising office Thursday at the college. By STEPHEN Di BENEDETTO
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sdibenedetto@shawmedia.com The youngest workers graduating from college may be starting jobs with burdensome debt, but they are surpassing their less-educated peers with higher personal earnings and full-time employment, a national survey shows. In an era of historic student loan debt, the Pew Research Center re-
What level of schooling did you complete? Vote online at NWHerald. com.
cently found that Millennial workers with a college degree earn about $17,500 more annually than their coworkers with a high school diploma. College-educated Millennials are also less likely to be unemployed and live in poverty, the survey found. Jeni Neuman, who has spent the last 20 years in the human resources profession, said the findings underline the declining value of a high school-only education. Other area
experts had mixed reactions. “The level of competition in our marketplace is full,” Neuman said. “The stakes are high. If you don’t have a basis of education beyond high school, you’re going to be further behind.” Neuman started the Bartlett-based human resources firm People2Results two years ago and
See EDUCATION, page A6
CRYSTAL LAKE – From Santas to soldiers, Mike Splitt is always ready to run for a cause. The man who organized the popular annual Kiwanis Santa Run for Kids will debut a new 5K this summer to support local veterans. The inaugural McHenry County Patriot Run will take place June 22 at McHenry County College at 8900 Route 14 in Crystal Lake. The event – scheduled to start at 7:30 a.m. – will support the McHenry County Veterans Assistance Commission and the McHenry County Transitional Living Services, which provides veterans with shelter, food and employment assistance. Splitt said he was inspired to start a 5K to help veterans after finding there were no other Patriot Run events in the region. After a longtime 5K pulled out of the June 22 slot, Splitt said he saw an opportunity and now hopes to hold the event each year on the fourth Sunday in June. “We have a huge amount of feedback. Companies are calling me to help,” Splitt said of the support, noting there are 14 sponsors including BMO Harris Bank, Centegra Health System and McHenry County College. “There is going to be a lot of patriotism, and it works great being right before the Fourth of July.” A $10,000 goal was the initial mark, Splitt said, until all the interest spurred organizers to raise the goal to $30,000. Splitt said the event would be festive, with a 20-foot inflatable Uncle Sam on site and T-shirts with a running Uncle Sam logo designed by a
If you go n What: McHenry County Patriot Run n When: 7:30 a.m. June 22 n Where: McHenry County College, 8900 Route 14 in Crystal Lake n Cost: $35 for 5K course, $15 for 1-mile course n Why: All proceeds benefit the McHenry County Veterans Assistance Commission and the McHenry County Transitional Living Services. n To register: Visit www.mchenrycountypatriotrun.org.
See 5K, page A6
Thousands in Ill. face flood insurance hikes By JIM SUHR The Associated Press ST. LOUIS – In a western Illinois city that hustles out sandbags every time the Mississippi River acts up, Shawn McNett is among Quincy’s fortunate for not being required to have flood insurance for the three-story home he inherited years ago. But now that it’s up for sale, McNett frets the reason it isn’t getting a sniff: Buyers don’t want to take on the insurance tab that’s about to rise like the Mississippi itself for millions of Americans. Policyholders who have long enjoyed subsidized rates
under the debt-ridden National Flood Insurance Program will see premiums rise steadily in the coming years, despite a rate-relief law signed Friday by President Barack Obama that will soften the blow for those who were hit hardest. For years, affordable flood insurance was offered for homes and businesses built before there were many rules about building close to the water. But premiums collected have fallen far short of the amount of payouts, putting the program $24 billion in debt. Congress pressed to change that in 2012, passing a law requiring 1.1 million policyholders to start paying rates based
on the true risk of flooding at their properties. But after public outcry, Congress scaled it back with legislation that would subject affected homeowners to annual premium increases as high as 18 percent until the government is collecting enough to pay out claims. Owners of businesses and second homes face mandatory increases of 25 percent each year – in Illinois, that’s 4,000 policy holders – until they start paying a rate based on the actual risk of flooding. The fallout appears profound in Illinois, partly because of the state’s proximity to the Mississippi, Ohio and
LOCALLY SPEAKING
Illinois rivers and their tributaries. An Associated Press analysis shows that half of the nearly 49,000 Illinois policies through the program are paying subsidized rates set to rise as those discounts are shaved or eliminated. Those affected include 20,000 holders of primary residential policies facing up to 18 percent increases, although exactly how much is murky. Illinoisans pay $44 million in premiums. In 17,000-resident Westchester west of Chicago, two creeks have been the local nuisance, accounting for two
See INSURANCE, page A6
McHENRY COUNTY
SPRING BOYS BASEBALL PREVIEW Mark Skonieczny possesses skills that offered Huntley’s baseball team some versatility the past two seasons, but he will be staying at home plate this spring. He and Huntley should be one of the central storylines for the upcoming baseball season, which is off to an abbreviated start because of the cold weather and heavy snow from the winter. For more, see page B1.
Kyle Grillot – kgrillot@shawmedia.com
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McHENRY: Local man transitions from bank job to full-time Ironman Triathlon trainee and coach. Local, A3
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AP file photo
Illinois Air National Guard member Jeff Turner of Peoria and others fill sandbags June 18, 2008, along the Mississippi River in Quincy. Policyholders who have long enjoyed subsidized rates under the debt-ridden National Flood Insurance Program will see premiums rise steadily in the coming years, despite a rate-relief law signed Friday by President Barack Obama that will soften the blow for those who were hit hardest.
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