PREPEXTRA EXTRA Satu rday, S e p t emb er 27, 2014 • $ 1 . 00
Hampshire.............22 Urbana. ................. 20
Alden-Hebron....... 15 Westminster......... 13
Huntley. ................. 14 Cary-Grove............42
Richmond-B.......... 13 Johnsburg..............35
Grayslake C........... 15 Woodstock........... 50
Dundee-C............... 16 Jacobs ....................56
Marengo ................ 41 Harvard ....................6
CL Central..............27 Woodstock N....... 48
CL South ................ 41 McHenry................28
Prairie Ridge.........27 Grayslake N...........47
Joliet Catholic ...... 31 Marian Central..... 21
More in the Sports section and at NWHerald.com/preps.
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Woman to stay in mental facility Judge denies petition to conditionally release 72-year-old who killed mother in 2001 By CHELSEA McDOUGALL cmcdougall@shawmedia.com WOODSTOCK – A McHenry County judge found that a woman who was civilly committed for killing her mother should remain at Elgin Mental Health Center for further in-patient treatment rather than be released. Judge Sharon Prather denied a Department of Human
Services petition to conditionally release 72-year-old Alice Bair. Bair was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the 2001 murder of her elderly Alice Bair mother, Margaret. The crime occurred during a psychotic episode
and an argument over dogs. Bair believed her mother was at her Crystal Lake home to steal her dogs. Bair sat on the 88-year-old woman, crushing her chest and ribs. Prather noted that Bair had been making strides in her treatment, including showing responsibility with her on- and off-ground passes that had previously been granted by the court. But
ultimately, the judge ruled against the recommendations of two psychiatrists who said Bair is no longer in need of mental health treatment in an in-patient facility. In her decision, Prather said she couldn’t justify Bair’s release to a facility that is not secure. Bair was accepted to Rockford-based Stepping Stones, a home with 40 other individuals that is
monitored by mental health professionals, but not guards. “Nothing would prevent Ms. Bair from walking out of the building anytime she wanted,” Prather said. Bair – who’s highly educated with degrees in chemistry and library science – long has suffered from paranoid schizophrenia. She is known for violent episodes when she stops taking her medication.
Pangs of childhood cancer
No one at Stepping Stones has the authority to force Bair to take her medications, prosecutors have said. Her defense attorney, McHenry County Assistant Public Defender Rick Behof, said the group-home setting is the next logical step in Bair’s recovery. Bair in 2011 petitioned the court with a similar request, but was denied.
Treasurer hopefuls look to boost office image By KERRY LESTER The Associated Press
Kyle Grillot – kgrillot@shawmedia.com
Sean Keller, 6, of Marengo rests on his mother’s shoulder Monday after eating with Marine Joe Frederick at Mr. Freeze in Marengo. Sean was diagnosed with leukemia when he was 4, and has since been undergoing treatment. Sean recently wrote Frederick a letter of appreciation, and during his 10-day leave from Camp Pendleton, Frederick took time to have a meal with Keller and his family.
Research funding lags behind in effort to fight disease in kids By ALLISON GOODRICH agoodrich@shawmedia.com Valerie Keller of Marengo lives in a constant state of fear. She fears strangers coughing in church and first-graders with strep throat – anything that could threaten her 6-year-old son’s immune system, already weakened from a three-year fight against cancer. After about six weeks of feverishness and inexplicable pain, plus trips to four different Chicago-area hospitals, Sean Keller was diagnosed Aug.
18, 2011, with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. “That wasn’t even a possibility for us,” his mom said. “We were shaken to our core. How could he get cancer?” The rhetorical question, still largely unanswered, came in September, which has been designated to focus on childhood cancer awareness. Pediatric cancer is far less prevalent than adult cancer, making up less than 1 percent of all annual cancer diagnoses. However, it still leads the way in disease-related death
LOCAL
among youths ages 1 to 19 years old. More than 15,700 children and adolescents will be diagnosed with cancer in 2014, and 1,960 will die from it, according to the American Cancer Society. The statistics for breast cancer alone – one of the most common among adults, according to the National Cancer Institute – show a sharp comparison as 235,000 new cases and 40,000 deaths are expected throughout 2014.
See CHILDHOOD CANCER , page A5
WORLD
WHERE IT’S AT
More airstrikes hit Syria
Advice ................................C10 Buzz.....................................C12 Classified..........................E1-8 Comics ................................C11 Community ......................... B1 Local News...................... A2-6 Lottery..................................A2 Movies................................. C9 Nation&World................ B3, 5 Obituaries ...........................A7 Opinions ............................. B2 Planit ..............................Inside Puzzles ................................. E8 Sports............................... C1-8 State .................................... B3 Weather ...............................A8
American warplanes, drones continue to hit Islamic State group targets in Syria, Iraq / B5 SPORTS
Reshaping D-200 New Woodstock superintendent hopes to craft plan with community to map out district’s educational goals / A3
We were shaken to our core. How could he get cancer?” Valerie Keller On her son’s struggle with childhood cancer
SPRINGFIELD – Two candidates vying to be Illinois’ next chief investment officer have different ideas about how to restore the image of the Treasurer’s office, which has been tarnished by a sexual harassment suit and questions about whether the man leaving the job used taxpayer dollars in mixing state and political business trips. The race for the treasurer’s post, a traditional steppingstone to higher office, has been marked with unusual intensity as it is the lone open statewide seat without an incumbent on the November ballot. The candidates have accused each other of flip-flopping on key issues and sparred about who better understands the role of the office. To improve the office’s image, former House Republican Leader Tom Cross said he wants to create a government in- Complete tegrity unit charged election with reviewing state coverage financial documents. Democratic state Sen. For more on the Mike Frerichs said he would blunt “crony- governor’s race, ism and corruption” see page B3. with a self-imposed audit of the office tasked with investing taxpayer funds, and publish his schedule online for more transparency. Both say the office needs to reduce travel costs spent on the I-Cash unclaimed property program, after current Treasurer Dan Rutherford was criticized for using state funds to travel to program events throughout Illinois that were held in close proximity to political fundraisers.
See TREASURER, page A5
Bulaga happy to be back, healthy Packers’ right tackle ready to see offense improve while facing Bears Sunday / C1
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