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The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star
The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

City council divided

By Libby John | January 20, 2004

City council members are concerned with Mark Biernacki’s proposed salary as DeKalb’s city manager. Biernacki, who is up for final approval next week, could make up to $10,439 more than previous manager Jim Connors. When Bill Nicklas, current Sycamore...

No snowman here

By Dan Patterson | January 20, 2004

Sculptors worked around the clock last week to complete their works of art at the Illinois Snow Sculpting contest at Sinnissippi Park in Rockford. This year, 17 teams competed for the state championship and a trip to the 2005 snow sculpting national championship...

Service plan criticized

By Nick Swedberg | January 20, 2004

A proposal from Gov. Rod Blagojevich would require all high school students to perform community service before graduating. Some local school administrators are wondering if the plan is a good idea. In Thursday’s State of the State address, Blagojevich...

Getting a new home

By Laura Grandt | January 16, 2004

Homeless cats and dogs may find a new sanctuary in DeKalb while waiting to find a companion. Taking Animals Into Loving Shelter (TAILS) Humane Society will build a new permanent location on the southwest corner of Peace and Barber Greene roads, thanks...

Sands fills Pritchard’s seat

By Laura Grandt | January 16, 2004

Dennis Sands wears many hats: retired police sergeant, domestic violence prevention advocate and business owner, but now he is playing perhaps his most influential role yet. Sands was elected chairman of the DeKalb County Board on Dec. 17, filling the...

Program works to warm houses, hearts

By Nick Swedberg | January 16, 2004

Low-income homeowners in DeKalb County can keep warm with assistance from the Illinois Home Weatherization Assistance Program through Community Contacts, Inc. The program, sponsored by Community Contacts, Inc., is accepting applications from qualified...

DeKalb unaffected by mad cow scare

By Nick Swedberg | January 15, 2004

Area livestock producers and grocers are not too concerned about the possibility of mad cow disease affecting their cattle, despite the recent discovery of the disease in America.

A cow in Washington state was discovered with the disease - the first reported case of mad cow disease in the United States.

“Obviously, everyone in the industry is deeply concerned,” local cattle producer Jamie Willrett said. His farm, called J. Willrett Farm, is located southwest of Malta. The cow was found in Washington but was born in Canada, he said.

Mad cow disease, also known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, is found in the brain and spinal cord and destroys nerve cells causing neurological problems, Willrett said. Cows with the disease display abnormal behavior, which is caused by the damaged cells.

Mad cow disease can be passed to ruminant, or four-stomached, animals if the animal eats processed meat and bone meal from an infected cow. Mad cow disease is only found in animals that are 30 months or older.

Cows that are higher in risk for potentially having the disease are put under closer scrutiny. Animals under the age of 30 months are tested some of the time, while animals over the age of 30 months are tested more thoroughly. Animals showing signs of neurological problems always are tested and kept completely out of the process, Willrett said.

The form of the disease found in human beings, known as new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, was documented first in the United Kingdom in 1996. By January 2004, there were 155 definite and probable cases discovered. No case of the variant has been reported in America.

Variant CJD can be contracted only by eating the processed brain and spinal cord of an infected cow, Willrett said. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease has been around since the 1920s and affects about one person per million each year.

John Sherman, manager at Inboden’s Meat Market, 1106 N. First St., said mad cow disease is blown out of proportion

“You have a better chance of getting struck by lightning,” he said.

More than a thousand people die each year from salmonella - and people pay less attention to that, Willrett said.

Even though there is concern for the disease, Willrett and Sherman both are confident in the food supply.

“I think the U.S. has the cheapest food and the best quality food in the world,” Sherman said.

The United States “continues to produce the safest food in the world,” Willrett said.

Fannie May Co. bought out

By Deanna Cabinian | January 15, 2004

A Utah-based candy company announced Wednesday it had struck a deal to purchase the Fannie May name and its recipes. The company is expected to continue selling the candies that have been part of Chicago history for more than 84 years. Ron Bottrell, spokesman...

Gun owners receive free safety kits

By Elena Haliczer | January 15, 2004

DeKalb and Sycamore police departments are distributing free firearm safety kits to local gun owners. The kits have been made available through Project ChildSafe with federal grants from President George W. Bush’s Project Safe Neighborhoods program....

Barn files suit against Sparrow, city

By Nicholas Alajakis and Libby John | January 15, 2004

Peter Gochis, owner of The Barn, 1215 Blackhawk Road, is suing Mayor Greg Sparrow and the city of DeKalb because of a recent ordinance that restricts bar hours and charging cover. The new ordinance requires Class E establishments to stop selling alcohol...

Residents protest plan

By Libby John | January 15, 2004

Several DeKalb residents showed concern over the proposal of a new house being built on Arrowhead Lane at Wednesday night’s Plan Commission meeting. The proposal was that the property be split into two lots so an additional house can be built. The commission...

DeKalb man charged in death

By Nicholas Alajakis | January 15, 2004

Eric Fultz, the 19-year-old DeKalb man charged with killing his friend in a one-car accident last November, pleaded not guilty Wednesday. Fultz was driving east in the 400 block of Hillcrest Drive early on Nov. 16 when he is said to have lost control...

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