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The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

Wally Thurow, known as Mr. Pumpkin, poses in the mid-1990s during the Sycamore Pumpkin Festival. A statue of Thurow, who helped found the festival, will be unveiled today to help start this year’s Pumpkin Festival.

‘Mr. Pumpkin’ memorial to be unveiled

By Mitchell Spence | October 22, 2014

A statue created to honor one of the founders of the Pumpkin Festival, Wally “Mr. Pumpkin” Thurow, will be unveiled today to help kick off the festival.Pumpkin Festival Committee President Jerry Malmassari said Thurow never stopped thinking of ideas...

Texas Roadhouse, 1950 DeKalb Ave. in Sycamore, will have a soft opening three weeks into October.

Texas Roadhouse to soft open in 3 weeks

By Kristin Maglabe | September 30, 2014

Texas Roadhouse will open its doors during the third week of October.Office manager Toni Boals said there will be a soft opening, meaning there is no grand opening or special event at Texas Roadhouse, 1950 DeKalb Ave.“We’re just going to open the...

Dion Hooker, Sycamore senior running back/corner back, runs the ball down the field. DeKalb and Sycamore high schools faced off during the game. About $54,000 was raised during the game, which brought the total raised throughout the Castle Challenge’s history to more than $900,000.

$900K raised during 15 years of Castle Challenge football history

By Rachel Scaman | September 21, 2014

Dion Hooker, Sycamore senior running back/corner back, runs the ball down the field. DeKalb and Sycamore high schools faced off during the game. About $54,000 was raised during the game, which brought the total raised throughout the Castle Challenge’s history to more than $900,000.

Sycamore senior Michael Hermes strikes a pose in his white, yellow and black gear.

Mayors join in on high school rivalry

By Linda Loya | September 18, 2014

Sycamore and DeKalb high schools — and mayors — will be pitted against each other for the 15th annual Castle Challenge Friday at Huskie Stadium.Tailgating starts 4 p.m. with tickets priced at $12 for adults and $6 for students. Tickets, which cover...

Sycamore storefront showcases art, history

Sycamore storefront showcases art, history

By Hany Abdel | November 24, 2013

A building that has been closed for more than 30 years will get an opportunity to breathe life back into Sycamore.Sycamore resident Phil Cuthbert bought the corner store on California and State in September 2012 to re-incorporate it into the community....

Editorial: Inauguration shows Baker started presidency right

By Northern Star Editorial Board | November 13, 2013

Doug Baker’s inaugural speech’s frankness was refreshing: Yes, NIU does face declining funding and enrollment, and its graduates are seeing fewer job prospects.NIU is at a turning point, and this is a critical time for higher education in the United...

Military wife hosts marathon for spouse

By Keisha Howerth | November 13, 2013

Residents can support a local soldier just by walking.The Marine Marathon is sponsored by Meaghan Gulke, who put together the event as a way to show support for her husband, Cpl. Brett Gulke, a 2009 Sycamore High School graduate who has been deployed...

Cademon Brewing hopes to set up a microbrewery in Sycamore. Owner Andrew Nordman said the earliest it would open is January.

Microbrewery tries for local opening

By Ryan Chodora | November 7, 2013

Two men are attempting to open a microbrewery in Sycamore, a first for the city.Andrew “Cad” Nordman and Brian “Demon” Matejka, co-owners of Cademon Brewing, plan to open up a brewery and tasting room at 2155 Oakland Drive. The project isn’t...

Mayor preserves Sycamore history

By Jessi Haish | October 30, 2013

Sycamore’s mayor is making sure the work of his predecessors is preserved for generations to come.Mayor Ken Mundy has taken on the project of compiling all the minutes of Sycamore’s City Council meetings dating back to the beginning of the city in...

Authors of "Why Sycamore Works," (from left) Robert A. Glover, Sycamore Mayor Ken Mundy, Bob Boey, Dean Copple and Clint Gittleson were part of a panel discussing Sycamore's history from a social economic perspective.

Sycamore book shows city workings

By Ryan Chodora | September 25, 2013

Thirty years of Sycamore’s manufacturing history have been condensed into a book written by an NIU alumnus.The Sycamore History Museum, 1730 N. Main St., held an open panel discussion at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the DeKalb County Community Foundation, 475...

Communiversity comes together to help students move in

By Ryan Chodora | August 26, 2013

Rain failed to sever community ties to NIU on Move-In Day Thursday.Amidst move-in day, DeKalb Mayor John Rey and Sycamore Mayor Ken Mundy were on the scene at New Residence Hall helping students move into their dormitories.“It’s exciting to see 4,000...

Residents of Evergreen Village forced to leave

By Brooke Shinberg | February 6, 2013

Evergreen Village Mobile Home Park, 955 E. State St. in Sycamore, has flooded multiple times in the past few years, putting residents and emergency responders at risk. The city of Sycamore and DeKalb County are working together to get to solve the issue....