New York has one, so does California, and Chicago may approve a smoking ban inside most public places. In DeKalb, Second Ward Alderman, Kris Povlsen supports the idea to implement a similar city ordinance in the area. "I think a ban is what we need,"...

Coal burning power plants continued to emit mercury into the atmosphere last year. While the power plants are not the only source of mercury pollution, fishermen in Illinois and around the country are facing the consequences. As mercury is emitted into...

DeKalb does not have registered sex offenders living within 500 feet of a school, the minimum distance mandated by law, but there are five sex offenders living within a half-mile radius of area schools. There are three sex offenders who live within a...

Everybody has heard of "Jane of the Jungle," but for Mike Henderson and Bill Harrison, "Jane of Montana" has a nicer ring to it. The duo helped to unveil Jane, the only complete young Tyrannosaurus rex in the world, in 2001. The Burpee Museum of Natural...

Next week will determine if corn growing in the area will develop properly. If the next two weeks does not bring rain, the corn will have to suffer nature’s lack of moisture and the fields will be at high risk of producing much undeveloped crop. "Right...

Last Thursday, terrorists in London reminded the world, once again, of the horrors they are capable of. The effects have echoed throughout the globe. Mass transit worldwide sits at a heightened state of alert; local transportation is no exception. Amtrak,...

Animal lovers who have fought for some time to ban the slaughtering of horses for human consumption may soon win. In early June, Rep. John Sweeney (R-New York) and his colleagues were successful in passing an amendment to the House Agriculture Appropriations...

Illinois is the third most tornado-prone state behind Maryland and Nebraska, according to statistics from VorTek. After last year’s tornado in Utica and historical F5 rated tornado in Crest Hill on August 28 1990, the state of Illinois has seen a string...

On June 22 Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed an amendment to the Downstate Public Transportation Act which promises to bring the DeKalb area $1.4 million for a mass transportation system. The money was appropriated through legislation that passed the...

Senior marketing major Lisa Vicicondi showed off her sales skills in a recent competition when she took first place in a sales competition. The challenge was put on by The Effner Financial Group and sponsored by the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network....

NIU jazz department directors and both middle and high school music directors will come together this weekend to perfect their rhythm. The directors are set to learn jazz techniques over the course of the three-day event with a focus on the rhythm section,...

DeKalb is under a brief moratorium until September, stopping the creation of new subdivisions in the area. The city council is not considering annexing any land, said community development director Russ Farnham. There is plenty of supply available, Farnham...