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Northern Star

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The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

An image shows the mugshot of Jonathan Hurst in 2020. On Thursday, Hurst was sentenced to life plus 30 years in prison for the 2016 killing of Patricia and Robert Wilson. (DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office)

Jonathan Hurst sentenced to life plus 30 years in prison

By Devin Oommen, News Editor | March 21, 2025

DeKALB – Jonathan Hurst was sentenced to life plus 30 years in prison Thursday for the killing of Sycamore residents Patricia and Robert Wilson.  Hurst was convicted of murder at the end of January, almost a decade after the Wilsons were found beaten...

An image shows the mugshot of Jonathan Hurst in 2020. Hurst’s counsel filed a motion for a new trial that will be heard at his sentencing hearing on Thursday morning. (DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office)

Jonathan Hurst files for new trial following double murder conviction

By Naomi Kelly, News Reporter | March 18, 2025

DeKALB- A man convicted of the murders of two Sycamore residents has filed a motion for a new trial after being found guilty of the murders earlier this year.  Jonathan Hurst was found guilty of the first-degree murders of Sycamore residents Robert...

Members of the DeKalb City Council sit at the city council meeting on Sept. 23, 2024. The city council discussed the installation of new electric vehicle chargers at their meeting on Monday. (Northern Star file photo)

City makes progress on electric vehicle friendliness

By Joseph Ndu, Senior News Reporter | March 17, 2025

DeKALB – DeKalb Police Chief David Byrd presented the 2024 annual crime report at the City Council meeting Monday. Byrd said there were no murders in DeKalb in 2024. “In 2023, we went from five – one of those being a reckless homicide –...

Former President Donald Trump appears in court for his arraignment, April 4, 2023, in New York.

Trump administration cuts funding for grants supporting IL farmers, food banks

By Austin Lamb, Assistant News Editor | March 4, 2025

DeKALB – The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) announced that the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program (LFPA) and the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI) can no longer operate in Illinois due to the Trump Administration cutting...

Noah R. Meier is pictured in a mugshot at DeKalb County Jail. He was arrested for three counts of possession of child pornography on Wednesday. (DeKalb County Jail)

Noah R. Meier arrested for possession of child pornography

By Austin Lamb, Assistant News Editor | March 3, 2025

DeKALB – A 19-year-old man was arrested at his home in Sycamore on a warrant for three class two felony counts of possession of child pornography on Wednesday. Noah R. Meier was arrested on the 2300 block of Pioneer Way at 4:21 p.m. The arrest...

Christopher A. Judah is pictured in a mugshot at DeKalb County Jail. He was arrested for eight counts of possession of child pornography and eight counts of dissemination of child pornography on Wednesday. (DeKalb County Jail)

Christopher A. Juday arrested for possession, dissemination of child pornography

By Austin Lamb, Assistant News Editor | March 3, 2025

DeKALB – A 56-year-old man was arrested in Sycamore for eight counts of possession of child pornography, and eight counts of dissemination of child pornography on Wednesday. The charges are class two and class X felonies. Christopher A. Juday...

Rows of lettuce, kale and other greens at Anderson Hall are grown as a part of the Edible Campus program.  Common Table in DeKalb will offer free meals for the community. (Northern Star File Photo)

Common Table DeKalb provides free meals for the community

By Joseph Ndu, Senior News Reporter | February 28, 2025

DeKALB - Common Table DeKalb is a new program that will provide free community meals.  Common Table DeKalb (CTD) is a collaborative that includes individuals from the area, non-profit organizations and local faith communities. The collaborators...

Rusty and damaged industrial pipes and other metal products sit stacked together. The city of DeKalb will be replacing the remaining lead pipes in the city in accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974. (Getty Images)

DeKalb City Council sets out to replace remaining lead pipes

By Jonathan Durbin, News Reporter | February 27, 2025

DeKALB – Over 50 years after the federal government mandated that the EPA create regulations to limit potential contaminants, lead contamination of water systems is still common. The Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 empowered the EPA to ensure citizens...

A photo shows DeKalb mayoral candidate Linh Nguyen. A democratic primary in which Nguyen was the only write in candidate has ended with 365 votes received. (Courtesy of Linh Nguyen)

Democratic primary election ends with 365 Democratic votes received

By Isabella Froh, News Reporter | February 26, 2025

DeKALB - A primary election for DeKalb mayoral candidate Linh Nguyen has ended, with unofficial results released by the county clerk.  According to unofficial results, there were 365 Democratic votes and five blank votes.  To get on the ballot...

A photo shows the DeKalb city council at its meeting Monday. The city proposed changes to bus routes that would reduce the number of stops on some lines. (Joseph Ndu | Northern Star)

Changes to bus route proposed at city council meeting

By Joseph Ndu, Senior News Reporter | February 26, 2025

DeKALB - The DeKalb city council rolled out a swath of new development plans including a new pizza restaurant, entertainment venue and changes to NIU bus routes at its meeting on Monday.  The route changes will begin March 9, during NIU’s spring...

"Best of DeKalb 2025" sits in front of a photo of the Union Pacific Station. Voting for Best of DeKalb 2025 is now open. (Northern Star Graphic)

Best of DeKalb 2025 voting now open

By Brynn Krug, Editor in Chief | February 23, 2025

Voting for Best of DeKalb 2025 is now open. From Sunday until 11:59 p.m. March 2 NIU students, faculty, staff and DeKalb residents can vote for their favorite things in 22 categories. Vote for your favorite coffee place, late night eatery, student...

A graphic shows the forecast for Feb. 20 to Feb. 24. DeKalb can expect temperatures to warm up throughout the week.

Weather forecast: Feb. 20 – Feb. 24

By NIU Weather Center | February 19, 2025

Hello Huskies, this is your midweek weather update for Thursday. Cold weather looks to linger throughout the week, but the sun will make things a little more bearable until warmer temperatures return this weekend. Saturday will remain cold, but a...