Rockford Record American, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2014

Rockford Record AmericanAIDA FREY: NEW ORLEANS AND

SOUTHERN PARKS, PAGE 11WHAT’S LOCAL: BELOIT COLLEGE

COMETS, PAGE 3NATION: REFORMERS REACT TO

IMMIGRATION PLAN , PAGE 5SPORTS: LUTHERAN’S JAMES ROBINSON ALL-STATE, PAGE 9

RECORDAMERICAN.COM | ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS NEWS & OPINIONRECORDAMERICAN.COM Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2014 Find us: @recordamerican

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By Lee H. HamiltonGiven all the

words and imag-es devoted to the midterm elections over the past few weeks, you’d think the results had told us something vital

about the future of the country. In reality, they were just a curtain-raiser. It’s the next few weeks and months that really matter.

The big question, as the old Congress reconvenes and prepares to make way for next year’s version, is whether the two parties will work more closely together to move the country forward or instead lapse back into confrontation and dead-lock. I suspect the answer will be a mix: modest progress on a few issues, but no major reforms.

Overall, the deep frustration Ameri-cans feel toward Washington will likely continue. Especially since, despite the urgent problems confronting us, the House leadership has announced an astoundingly relaxed 2015 agenda that includes not a single five-day work week, 18 weeks with no votes scheduled, and just one full month in session: January.

Still, there is hope for at least a mod-icum of progress. The president wants to enhance his legacy. More politicians these days seem to prefer governing to posturing. The Republican Party may have won big in the elections, but it still cannot govern alone: it will need Democratic votes in the Senate and the cooperation of the president. And both parties want to demonstrate that they recognize they’re responsible for governing.

||| OPINION

What lies ahead for federal lawmakersCongress faces plenty of issues that

need addressing, which means that skillful legislators who want to show progress have an extensive menu from which to choose. Trade, health care, ter-rorism, responsible budgeting, rules on greenhouse gas emissions… All of these are amenable to incremental progress.

Which is not to say that progress is inevitable. President Obama acted to halt deportations of millions of illegal immigrants, though he did so without Congress. His action could unleash un-predictable consequences. Meanwhile, the new Republican Senate is almost certain to give the resident’s nominees a hard time; while GOP senators are unlikely to want to appear too tough on Loretta Lynch, the nominee for attorney general, the gloves will almost certainly come off for nominees who must nego-tiate hearings after her.

Yet indications of what next year may be like have already begun to emerge. Bills with a relatively narrow focus that enjoy bipartisan support — boosting agricultural development aid overseas, funding research into traumatic brain injuries, giving parents with disabled children a tax break on savings for long-term expenses — either have passed the “lame-duck” Congress or stand a good chance of doing so.

In the end, 2015 will see a mix of small steps forward and backward. There’s little chance of a minimum wage increase and it’s unlikely the budget will be passed in an orderly and traditional manner. Sim-ilarly, significant and difficult issues like major entitlement and tax reform will prove hard to budge, and comprehensive immigration reform is a near impossibil-ity. There will be no knockdown punch

on Obamacare, but we’ll see plenty of efforts to chip away at it.

On the other hand, Congress can probably manage to avoid a government shutdown, and it faces decent prospects of expanding and protecting our energy boom, promoting fast-track trade au-thority, and funding key infrastructure needs. Defense spending will not be further reduced.

The parties on Capitol Hill are highly suspicious of one another. Incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McCo-nnell has said the right things about wanting more openness, a more tradi-tional process, and more ability on the minority’s part to offer amendments, but he’ll be under great pressure from members of his caucus to make life hard for Democrats. Similarly, Democrats in the Senate, still fuming over what they view as obstructionism from the Republicans over the last several years, will face pressure to make life as hard as possible for the new majority.

Yet here’s the basic truth: divided government does not have to be dys-functional. It can be made to work, and if incremental progress on small issues is the way to get started, then let’s hope Congress and the president pursue that course.

Lee Hamilton is Director of the Cen-ter on Congress at Indiana University. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 34 years.

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Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2014 | ROCKFORD RECORD AMERICAN | RECORDAMERICAN.COM 3

T h a n k s g i v i n g E v e c o m e t s

By Jeremy OsterRockford Record American

A chilly autumn fog clung to the sky over the Rock River last Wednesday, Nov. 26, blurring out the moon, and hiding the stars from view. Visitors were not be able to use the public access telescopes on the roof of the Beloit College Center for the Sciences during their visit.

Associate Professor of Physics and As-tronomy Dr. Britt Scharringhausen was unperturbed by the inclement weather. Just in case Mother Nature decided not to cooperate, Dr. Scharringhausen had the forethought to create a family friendly PowerPoint presentation on comets instead.

Dr. Scharringhausen said: “We are always excited to have local residents come visit on open house nights! Being here tonight is a part of my job, but it’s also a part of my job that I really really like!”

The Beloit College Center for the Sci-ences held its last open house for 2014 last Wednesday. Even though it was the night before Thanksgiving, two dozen adults and children, including a troop of Beloit Girl Scouts, arrived at 7:30 p.m., and took their seats in Room 150 for the lecture.

The night’s main topic was the Rosetta space probe’s recent successful delivery of the robotic lander Philae to Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Rosetta was launched March 2, 2004, by the European Space Agency from Kourou, French Gui-ana. A decade later, Nov. 12, 2014, Philae

became the first spacecraft to successfully land on a moving comet.

Philae didn’t send back as much data as was anticipated because it bounced off of the originally targeted landing point (Agilkia) and settled in a dark crevice under a cliff instead. Philae’s solar panels have been rendered useless and the lander has gone silent.

Dr. Scharringhausen noted: “The good news is that the comet is getting closer and closer to the Sun every day. There is a good chance that by April of 2015 we may regain control of Philae and some or all of it’s research tools.”

Dr. Scharringhausen presentation was aimed at the predominantly grade-school aged audience while still keeping the interest of the adults in the room. Schar-ringhausen earned her Ph.D., from Cor-nell University in Ithaca, New York, and began teaching at Beloit College in 2006.

After the presentation, Scharringhau-sen led students and parents over to an elevator, which took them to the fifth floor roof of the Center for the Sciences. Students and parents were allowed on the observation deck and see the telescopes that will be available for use during the next open house, weather permitting.

Beloit College is at 700 College St., Be-loit, Wisconsin. Center for the Sciences open houses are scheduled for Feb. 25, March 25 and April 22, 7:30-9 p.m.

More information is at Beloit.edu.

Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy Dr. Britt Sharringhausen displays one of Beloit College’s 10-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes weather visitors may borrow to view the heavens. (Photo by Jeremy Oster)

||| WHAT’S LOCAL

Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2014 | ROCKFORD RECORD AMERICAN | RECORDAMERICAN.COM4||| CITY SCRIBBLER

By City ScribblerIt’s no secret that the City of Rockford

has a panhandling ordinance. What some may not realize is that the law does not forbid the practice.

Please, Scribbler. Say it isn’t so.According to city code, asking for a

cigarette, spare change or food is not a crime. But, the law does get a little sticky; and there are some business owners, es-pecially downtown, who are vocal about putting panhandlers away for good. To them, destitution isn’t punitive enough. The Scribbler will save that argument for another day.

Essentially, there are two city laws sur-rounding street begging that can result in arrest. The first is soliciting on a public roadway. This offense prohibits individ-uals from asking for handouts in traffic.

The aggressive panhandling ordi-nance makes it a crime for persistent begging--basically not taking no for an answer. The law states if you ask for a handout on the street and are refused, you must move along. You may not badger, exchange words, make demands or threaten others in a quest to get a few bucks or bite to eat.

The code states that panhandling is prohibited during the day. One can be ticketed at a bus stop, in a sidewalk cafe, any public parking garage, within 20 feet of an ATM and within 20 feet of a church or place of worship.

The law has its merits. Violators are issued a ticket and notice to appear in court much like a traffic citation. Whether the code is as effective as it could be re-mains in question. Offenders rarely have money to pay fines and failing to appear isn’t a jailable infraction.

In its pamphlet, “Don’t Give Where it Won’t Help,” the Rockford Police De-partment encourages citizens to support social services agencies, missions and shelters instead of giving handouts to panhandlers. That’s a sensible concept. But, what happens when agencies aren’t supported by the community?

Sure, some vagrants avoid shelters. Almost all facilities prohibit drinking, drugs and smoking, and will turn away those who fail to keep the rules. To some, it’s a much freer existence on the streets anyway. Do something long enough un-der the influence of hunger and chemicals

and it becomes like writing with a large group: things get all homogenized and you lose the edge. Yet, there’s a bigger picture--one painted by the high, mighty and grand ego that breeds a defining “not my problem” sentiment.

The Scribbler expects a few barbs here. Fire away.

Meet Deacon, the 9-year-0ld arrested for stealing at a corner store. What about Stacy? You don’t know her? She’s the 14-year-old prostitute who lived under a downtown bridge before someone loot-ed her space. The Scribbler’s seen them. Today, in fact.

It’s difficult to imagine that in 2006, Deacon had nothing but innocent behind eyes that danced at every new sight. He was precocious, they said--so advanced, he began reading before attending school.

Stacy hadn’t heard the word intercourse at 9, let alone engage in it. At 11, rape was something she had only begun to define. By 12, she was numb to an evil only few can describe.

Deacon managed to numb himself, too. It’s easier than one thinks for a 13-year-old alcoholic to get a drink. By 15, forget about it. He’s now in Stacy’s hell, one where mere survival is measured in seconds and the coping skills of the street. Panhandling is just one tool to prevent the end of an existence so baffling, continuing in it seems to breed only weakness.

Where is God, you ask? That’s also for another discussion, but the Scribbler is certain that if the devil does dance in empty pockets, he shouts for joy and has a rip-roaring party in the midst of despair, addiction, abuse and mental illness. And while Deacon and Stacy are invited, they aren’t guests--they’re the entertainment. The father of all lies? Without a doubt.

Of course, panhandlers are far from en-tertaining. Their mere presence counters everything we know. We have no time to implore what Stacy wanted to be before being set upon by darkness.

It doesn’t matter where Deacon slept last night or if his father was the heroin addict found dead in a carport in south Rockford last year. We don’t know if his mother is still in prison. All we know is they are begging on the streets and should be stopped---by whatever means neces-sary to protect our own. Because Deacon and Stacy are not our problem. It’s that

We could euthanize panhandlers, homelesssimple. This is downtown Rockford. And downtown had its fill of a dead-zone rep-utation long ago. Shops, restaurants, the Riverwalk, and a soon-to-be Amtrak hub that will complement a high-rise erectile have paced a progressive city with an even hipper crowd. We are building Babylon. Can’t the homeless and the panhandlers see that? Get a job already. Heavens to Betsy. How dare any of you ask someone with more to spare a little? The nerve.

The Scribbler digresses. Don’t worry. We’ll snap back momentarily. Ah, the power of the segue.

Downtown can be a finicky place. Mer-chants push for growth one minute, then seem to complain when real changes oc-curs. The city announces a sports complex and convention center along the river and people cringe. When the Ziock Building was first poised to become a hotel, even some city leaders pushed back only to join its gallery of cheerleaders when the state came calling with Amtrak in tow.

Suddenly, downtown seemed like it has a chance. Perhaps it will be the fantasy land businesses owners who claim if we wipe the streets clean of vagrants, panhandlers and the unworthy, the people who really matter could enjoy themselves and thrive. They’ve earned it.

Don’t mind the growing heroin prob-lem, racial boundaries, underdeveloped west side and a jobless rate that still tops the state. And, throw in a boorish claim that more social services agencies and shelters will exacerbate the homeless problem and the debate could be on. Phooey. A long as we keep the undesirables out of our version of urban development we’ll all get along.

We must do something, right? Perhaps just kill them?

Hmmm. Euthanasia would only be ac-cepted in the Zombie Apocalypse. And we can’t involve the social services agencies. God forbid. They’re the ones allowing the dregs to exist among the humans. The only thing left is to create a fallacious foundation that makes light of a problem, whether it exists or not. I didn’t say false flag. Stop inferring.

We could revisit the idea that significant Rockford crime is committed by parolees “sent here” from other jurisdictions, and Cook County riff-raff who pour into our fair city with tattered clothing, bed bugs and housing vouchers.

Let’s clear the air (Cliche No. 344), housing vouchers are common and have been used in Rockford in recent years. Some are issued in Chicago. St. Louis and New Orleans have also sent us displaced residents.

And if we dig, we could find at least one person who has been arrested since arriving in Rockford. A little more elbow grease (Cliche No. 345) and we’ d just might discover some arrestes for drugs, vagrancy and panhandling. Such figures are available. Bingo.

The trick here lies in a little age-old scapegoating. If we portray enough of these poor transplants as rapists, robbers, killers and panhandlers, and have some data to back it up, we’re be golden, right? Wrong.

News flash: There’s nothing to suggest an influx of outsiders has increased crime here. If anything, anti-recidivism and jail-alternative programs have helped-- even if only slightly. Ouch.

And now that HD Singer Mental Health Center has closed, we could run with the idea that downtown panhan-dlers are just off-their-meds psychiatric patients with nowhere to go when the except into businesses and the craws of those who run them. That’s a good one.

That notion is as baseless as the first.Yeah, but aren’t there crazies from the

Rockford Rescue Mission and Rose-crance terrorizing businesses with beg-ging, jaywalking and down-right beastly behavior that drives away customers?

Like the officers on the streets, the Scribbler doesn’t see past a few sporadic incidents. In fact, police have seen a dramatic decrease in panhandling since 2006. A twisted reality is often encased in embellishment.

The only thing left is to face the Dea-cons and Stacys. They’re out there. And they’re cold, hungry, sick and wounded.

We euthanize our animals. We send our parents away to die then fight over the Buicks, buckskin caps and cardigan sweaters that have been tucked away sice since the spring of 1967.

And why does some random brother-in-law get the snowblower?

What’s wrong with casting out the in-digent in a spirit of murder? Everything.

Ciao...


Rockford Record American Attorney General Lisa Madigan to-

day warned Illinois residents to beware of potential immigration fraud after President Obama’s announcement of his immigration plan this week.

Madigan issued an alert to warn po-tential immigration services applicants that they may be targets of scam artists and unscrupulous immigration services providers who illegally pose as lawyers or demand excessive upfront fees for assistance. Following President Obama’s announcement, Madigan also warned Illinois residents to be especially wary of immigration service providers who claim they now may qualify for citizenship.

“The immigration process is often intimidating and confusing, which is why many people seek assistance,” Attorney General Madigan said. “But unfortunately, much of the help offered is expensive and illegitimate. That’s why it’s so important to know the warning signs of an immigration scam and where to find honest assistance. People should contact my office if they encounter anyone mak-ing these types of claims and believe they have been defrauded in an illegal scheme.”

In Illinois, immigration services pro-viders must register with the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, unless they are licensed attorneys or are a nonprofit organization recognized by the Board of Immigration Appeals.

In addition to these regulatory require-ments, immigration services providers must provide the following:

- Provide consumers with a written contract in English and their native language and provide consumers with a

three-day right to cancel; - Return all documents to the con-

sumer upon the demand. It is important for immigrants to

know that in the United States notaries or “notarios” are not licensed attorneys, and they cannot provide legal advice on immigration matters.

Madigan has filed 10 lawsuits against fraudulent immigration service providers for a range of illegal practices, including demanding excessive upfront fees and falsely claiming they are licensed attor-neys, that put immigrant residents at greater risk of deportation.

Individuals who have questions regarding the president’s immigration plan can find more information through the U.S. Department of Citizenship and Immigration Services. Consumers can also consult the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights to find a Board of Immigration Appeals-accred-ited organization to provide legitimate immigration services.

To file a complaint against an immi-gration services provider, consumers can call Attorney General Madigan’s office at 1-800-386-5438 for a complaint form. Consumers can also download a com-plaint form from the attorney general’s website and file it online.

Lisa Madigan’s Northern Illinois Re-gional Office is in the Zeke Giorgi Center, 200 S. Wyman St., Suite 307, Rockford.

The office can be reached at (815) 967-3883, TTY: (815) 967-389l and online at illinoisattorneygeneral.gov. Madigan’s Springfield office can be reached at (217) 782-1090.

Reformers react to president ’s plan

Immigration scams can be reported to Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office. Madigan’s Northern Illinois Regional Office is in the Zeke Giorgi Center, 200 S. Wyan St., Rockford. The office can be reached at (815)967-3883.

Kica Matos, director of immigrant rights and racial justice with the Center for Community Change is a representative of the Fair Immigram Reform Movement (FIRM). (Photo courtesty of vidalatinasd.com)

By Donna De La CruzCenter for Community Change

Fair Immigration Reform Movement leaders (FIRM)reacted to President Obama’s administrative relief plan, ex-pressing joy for families who can now stay together.

Leaders also issued a challenge to Republicans to act, and explained how-immigrant rights movement got to this historic moment.

Astrid Silva, immigration organizer for the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (PLAN) said: “When the president told my story, I looked at my dad, and then over to my mom, and I started crying with relief. President Obama’s bold action means that millions of families like mine will no longer live with the perpetual anxiety that they may not be together to celebrate birth-days, anniversaries, graduations and holidays. The president’s administrative reforms are only a temporary fix and we desperately need Congress to pass comprehensive immigration legislation that will grant permanent security to the millions of immigrant families who love this country and want to become citizens.

“But for now, we celebrate this historic victory. Thank you, Mr. President, for sharing my story. I hope it will help people realize that immigrant families are just like theirs – striving to make better lives for themselves, their parents and their children.”

Kica Matos, FIRM spokesperson

commented on Speaker John Boehner’s remarks, stating that the House would should not act to counter the president’s actions.

“We dare you to try to repeal this historic reform,” she challenged the GOP. “We welcome a national debate about keeping families together. Show us whether you are going to stand with families or in the dust bin of history.”

Deepak Bhargava, executive director of the Center for Community Change, a FIRM member, said: “In the history of every social movement there are seminal moments that portend an eventual vic-tory. If we can beat the intense backlash the president’s announcement is sure to unleash, this unquestionably will be written about in the history books as just such a moment for the immigrant rights movement.

“The administrative reforms to our broken immigration system just announced by President Obama are a hard-won victory for the hundreds of community organizations, thousands of activists and millions of people who have pressed for change through marches, phones calls, protests, civil disobedi-ence, and electoral engagement for over 15 years. There is a “call and response” relationship between movements and elected leaders. The President has heard the call, and made history. The victory is partial and the long fight for true integra-tion and full citizenship is far from over, but the movement has clearly created a paradigm-shifting turning point.”

Beware of immigration scams

||| IMMIGRATION


ESPN announces Rivalry Week broadcast schedule


Pat Quinn launches card drive for wounded troopsRockford Record American

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn was joined by local students Monday, Dec.1, to light the state of Illinois’ Christmas tree and launch the annual Illinois Heroes Holiday Card Drive.

The Governor encouraged students from across the state to take part in the annual drive by making holiday cards for servicemembers who are away from home during the holiday season. Today’s launch is part of Governor Quinn’s commitment to support the men and women who have served our nation.

“As we celebrate the holidays here at home, it’s important we remind those

veterans who cannot be with us how much we value them,” Quinn said. “The Illinois Heroes Holiday Card Drive is one small way we can show our appreciation for the sacrifices our soldiers have made to defend our country and our freedom. No matter where they’re stationed, our thoughts and prayers are with our ser-vicemembers this holiday season.”

Quinn has championed numerous veterans’ causes during his service as Lieu-tenant Governor and Illinois Treasurer.

In 2011, he launched the Welcome Home Heroes program to support Illinois servicemembers seeking homeowner-ship. Governor Quinn recently launched

the newest Veterans Cash instant lottery ticket, a $5 ticket with all proceeds going to benefit Illinois veterans’ organizations. Since the governor first launched the program in 2006, Veterans Cash has awarded more than $11.7 million in grants to more than 240 veterans’ organizations statewide. The Illinois Lottery’s Veterans Cash game is the first lottery game in the United States to earmark 100 percent of net proceeds to veterans.

As lieutenant governor, Quinn spear-headed the Illinois Military Family Relief Fund Act, which established a fund to provide grants to families of Illinois National Guard members and Illinois

residents serving in the U.S. Armed Forces Reserve components who were called to active duty as a result of the Sept.11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks. These grants help servicemembers and their families with the costs of food, housing, utilities, medical services and other expenses they struggle to afford because a wage-earner has temporarily left civilian employment to be placed on active military duty.

The fund has distributed more than $15.1 million to 29,625 Illinois military families to assist with the financial burden at home when a loved one is deployed overseas.

||| STATE

Area roads included in $8.3M state pledgeRockford Record American

Area roads will soon get a facelift thanks to a state investment of more than $8.3 million, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn announced last week.

The road and airport projects in DeKalb, Grundy, Jo Daviess, LaSalle, Lee, Ogle and Winnebago counties are all part of his $31 billion Illinois Jobs Now! capital construction program and address critical infrastructure needs in central Illinois.

Quinn said: “I led passage of the Illinois Jobs Now! program immediately after taking office in 2009 because the state had gone nearly ten years without major capital construction legislation to repair and maintain the state’s infrastructure. With Illinois Jobs Now!, we’ve been able to put hundreds of thousands of people to work on badly needed construction jobs while making northern Illinois a better

place to live and work.”The projects will be managed by the

Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) except where noted.

DeKalb CountyA detention basin for storm water

runoff will be constructed at the DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport for $775,000 by Elliott & Wood Inc. of DeKalb, the lowest of seven bidders.

The IDOT Division of Aeronautics will manage the project, which includes federal, state and local funding.

Jo Daviess CountyIllinois Route 35 will receive 250 feet of

storm sewer replacement approximately 0.20 miles northeast of Arrowhead Drive/St. Mary’s Drive in East Dubuque for $90,079 by Law Excavating Inc. of Mt. Carroll, the lowest of four bidders.

An existing single span steel stringer

structure will be replaced with a triple barrel reinforced concrete box culvert on Longhollow Road and a new double barrel reinforced concrete box culvert will be constructed on Brodrecht Road, 5.5 miles northwest of Elizabeth at Furnace Creek for $1,895,411 by Civil Constructors, Inc. of Freeport, the lowest of four bidders.

Lee CountyPalmyra Road will receive cold milling

and HMA resurfacing from Hillcrest Drive to 0.3 miles west of Lenox Road for $394,511 by Civil Constructors, Inc. of Freeport, the lower of two bidders.

LaSalle and Grundy CountiesU.S. 6 will receive drainage improve-

ments 1773 feet east of Illinois Route 170 in Seneca for $123,213 by D Construction, Inc. of Coal City, the lower of two bidders.

Ogle CountyInterstate 39 interchange ramps will

receive pavement patching and resur-facing for $477,219 by William Charles Construction Company, LLC of Loves Park, the lowest of three bidders.

Winnebago CountyRunway 1/19 at Chicago Rockford In-

ternational Airport will be rehabilitated for $4,705,272 by Sjostrom & Sons, Inc. of Rockford, the lowest of four bidders. The IDOT Division of Aeronautics will manage the project, which includes fed-eral, state and local funding.

The projects are part of Governor Quinn’s $31 billion Illinois Jobs Now! program, which will support more than 439,000 jobs over six years.

Illinois Jobs Now! is the largest con-struction program in Illinois history, and is one of the largest construction programs of its kind in the United States.


By Josh EarnestWhite House Press Secretary

Thursday, Nov. 27, the Bilateral Se-curity Agreement (BSA) and the NATO Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) were both approved by an overwhelming majority vote in the Afghan Parliament. We welcome the approval of these two agreements, which represent an invitation from the Afghan people to strengthen the relationship we have built over the past 13 years. The BSA provides our military service members and civilian personnel the necessary legal framework to carry out two critical non-combat missions after 2014: targeting the remnants of al-Qa-`ida and training, advising, and assisting Afghan National Security Forces.

The NATO SOFA gives forces from Allied and partner countries the legal protections necessary to carry out the NATO Resolute Support mission when the ISAF mission comes to an end later

this year. The timely approval of these agree-

ments is a great credit to the newly formed government of national unity and follows a historic Afghan election that ushered in the first peaceful democratic transfer of power in the nation’s history.

We applaud President Ghani and CEO Abdullah’s tireless efforts to form a representative, inclusive, and smoothly functioning government and look for-ward to a renewed partnership that will help advance our shared interests and the enduring security of Afghanistan.

The BSA fully implements the Strate-gic Partnership Agreement that our two governments signed in May 2012 and enables our long-term cooperation to promote the security, stability, and unity of Afghanistan. This also contributes to the security of the United States and our coalition partners, and to the stability of the region.

||| NATION/WORLD

Afghan security agreement approved

Rockford Record AmericanVice President Joe Biden announced

that the United States is providing nearly $135 million in additional humanitarian assistance to help feed civilians affected by the ongoing conflict in Syria.

With this announcement, the United States has provided more than $3 billion in critical humanitarian aid since the start of the crisis, including $222 million for international humanitarian organizations working with the Government of Turkey as they continue to help those affected by the war in Syria.

The new funding will help feed vulner-able people inside Syria; Syrian refugees in Turkey; and Syrian refugees in other neighboring countries. Turkey has gen-erously committed substantial portions of its national resources to hosting an estimated 1.6 million refugees from Syria.

The world has watched with great con-cern as more than 190,000 Syrians from Kobani fled to Turkey in recent weeks. The United States is grateful that Turkey kept its doors open to people fleeing the brutality of ISIL as well as the appalling atrocities committed by the Assad regime.

Of this total new U.S. funding for the Syria crisis, more than $132.8 million will go to the United Nations World Food

Program (WFP) and other partners to re-spond to ongoing emergency food needs inside Syria and in countries hosting Syrian refugees, including Turkey.

This includes $63 million for WFP’s operations inside Syria and $70 million for WFP’s operations benefiting Syrian refugees in neighboring countries. WFP’s operations, to which the United States remains the largest donor, feed millions of Syrians every month, including through household food ration deliveries inside Syria and distributions of food vouchers to refugees in neighboring countries.

Nearly $11 million of the new assistance will support the WFP in Turkey. WFP redirected hundreds of tons of food to the Suruc border district in response to the sudden recent influx of refugees and continues to work in close coordination with the Turkish government to feed hundreds of thousands of refugees daily.

The new funding also includes nearly $2 million for the Turkish Red Crescent, through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies appeal for Turkey, to provide hot meals for Syrian refugees from Kobani.

More information is at usaid.gov/crisis/syria.

U.S. increases aid to Syria


Rockford Record AmericanRockford Lutheran junior running

back James Robinson is a Champaign News-Gazette’s first-team All-State se-lection for the second straight year, the paper reported last week,

Robinson rushed for 2,227 yards and 38 touchdowns this year.

Following is the Champaign News-Ga-zette’s 79th All-State Team

Player High school Ht. Wt. Yr.Dewayne Collins Chicago Phillips

6-2 190 Sr. ISU recruit a dual threat (1,367 passing yards, 22 TDs and 1,843 rushing yards, 20 TDs) and gets to show abilities on Friday night in Class 4A state title game.

Gabe Green Springfield SH-G 6-2 205 Sr. Lefty, a Southern Miss commit and repeat first-team pick, has thrown for 2,618 yards (37 TDs, two INTs), rushed for 767 as Cyclones prep for 5A title game.

Justin Hunniford Providence Catholic 5-10 180 Sr. Accurate passer has accumulated 3,162 yards (41 TDs, three INTs). Gets chance to add to those numbers Saturday in Class 7A state championship game.

Tyler Hutchinson Greenville 6-5 210 Sr. Hard to fathom he won’t play college football – Heartland baseball recruit – after he threw for 3,855 yards, 56 TDs this season for Class 4A playoff qualifier.

Dan Marinko Edwardsville 6-2 185 Sr. Two-time first-team pick threw for 2,314 yards and 26 TDs while rushing for 431 yards and 12 TDs for 8A team that made it to second round of playoffs.

RUNNING BACKSTitus Booker Grayslake North 6-0 182

Sr. Wisconsin commit will likely play in the secondary at next level but rushed for 1,931 yards, 26 TDs this season for 6A playoff qualifier.

Dre Brown DeKalb 6-0 200 Sr. Illinois commit will enroll early after he rushed for 1,936 yards and 23 TDs as he helped Barbs reach second round of Class 6A playoffs.

Jack Dibble Coal City 5-10 185 Sr. Recovered from knee injuries earlier in career to rush for 2,660 yards and 33 TDs for Class 4A semifinalist.

Quinton Hoosman Plainfield North 6-0 190 Sr. Rushed for at least 200 yards in nine of 10 games for Class 7A

playoff qualifier, finishing with 2,426 yards and 32 TDs.

James Robinson Rockford Lutheran 6-0 210 Jr. Repeat first-team selection scampered for 2,227 yards and 38 TDs for Class 4A quarterfinalist. Only needs 1,874 yards to set all-time state rushing record.

Evan Sembell Rochester 6-2 205 Sr. Best running back in school history for a program that’s won four straight 4A state titles has rushed for 2,306 yards, 35 TDs. And has one more game to go.

RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDSMiles Boykin Providence Catholic

6-4 225 Sr. POY will catch passes at Notre Dame. Caught 62 passes for 1,005 yards, 19 TDs for 7A state finalist despite missing three games with injuries this season.

Cameron Green Stevenson 6-3 195 Sr. Northwestern commit, a basketball teammate of Jalen Brunson, boasts 57 receptions for 826 yards and 10 TDs for 8A team vying for state title Saturday.

Steven Lee Centennial 6-3 215 Sr. Northern Illinois commit hauled in 47 catches for 998 yards and eight TDs while setting career program record for receiving yards (2,019).

Flynn Nagel Lemont 6-0 190 Sr. Two-time first-team pick and Duke re-cruit has hauled in 89 receptions for 1,367 yards and 28 TDs before he plays Saturday in Class 6A state title game.

Caleb Reams Warren 6-3 240 Sr. Tight end is an Illinois commit and was an effective option in the pass game, cor-ralling 35 passes for 601 yards and nine TDs for Class 8A playoff qualifier.

Leon Thornton Montini 6-2 200 Sr. Indiana commit is playing for another 5A state title with Broncos. He’s done his part with 61 receptions for 873 yards and 10 TDs.

OFFENSIVE LINEMENBryan Brokop Lincoln-Way West

6-5 275 Jr. Invited to the Army All-American Bowl combine this offsea-son, the Class of 2016 guard has already committed to Nebraska.

Luke Juriga Marmion 6-4 275 Sr. Rare for offensive lineman to earn

Co-Offensive Player of Year in the Chicago Catholic League Green, but that’s what Western Michigan commit did this season.

Gabe Megginson Jacksonville 6-5 290 Sr. Left tackle was a steadying

presence for the Crimsons this fall. Picked Illini ahead of eight other Big Ten offers.

Quinn Oseland Springfield SH-G 6-7 305 Sr. Minnesota commit is right tackle for the unbeaten Cyclones.

Trevor Ruhland Cary-Grove 6-4 280 Sr. Notre Dame recruit has helped pave way for the ground-oriented attack.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN

Wesley Annan Lake Forest Academy 6-4 289 Sr. Stanford commit at de-fensive tackle held double-digit Division I offer list before choosing the Cardinal. He made 45 tackles and forced two fumbles.

Terry Beckner East St. Louis 6-4 298 Sr. One of top uncommitted prospects in country has SEC schools in hot pursuit. Could play end or tackle in college after re-cording 107 tackles for 6A quarterfinalist.

Micah Dew-Treadway Bolingbrook 6-5 280 Sr. Defensive tackle and Notre Dame commit compiled 45 tack-les, including 15 for loss, and forced four fumbles for Class 8A quarterfinalist.

Raequan Williams DePaul College Prep 6-6 280 Sr. Uncommitted defensive tackle holds 15 Power 5 offers after registering 74 tackles, including eight sacks, nine pass breakups and three forced fumbles this fall.

LINEBACKERSJack Hockaday Maroa-Forsyth 6-1

215 Sr. Iowa commit handling QB duties (52 TDs) superbly for 2A finalists but boasts 96 tackles, seven forced fumbles and six INTs at his likely future position.

Julian Huff Bolingbrook 6-0 225 Sr. Minnesota commit racked up 70 tackles, including 10 sacks, while picking off four passes and forcing three fumbles for 8A quarterfinalists.

Bobby McMillen Naperville Central 6-2 220 Sr. Set to play at Iowa State after he was seemingly everywhere on the field with 146 tackles, including 11 for loss, and two safeties for 8A quarterfinalists.

DEFENSIVE BACKSJavi Corral Plano 6-1 170 Sr.

Teams were wise to stay away from play making cornerback, who intercepted nine passes this season for Class 4A playoff qualifier.

Tom Kenney Mahomet-Seymour 5-10 185 Jr. Safety recorded 11 interceptions to go along with 95 tackles as Bulldogs advanced to second round of Class 5A playoffs.

Antonio Shenault Lake Park 5-11 185 Sr. Minnesota commit finished with 57 tackles as teams shied away from testing him and schemed their offenses away from his ball-hawking skills.

KICKERAustin Seibert Belleville West 5-10

195 Sr., University of Oklahoma recruit.

||| PREP FOOTBALL

Lutheran’s James Robinson named All-State for second year

Rockford Lutheran junior running back James Robinson rushed for 2,227 yards and 38 touchdowns in the 2014 season, leading the Crusaders to the IHSA Class 4A Quarterfinals. (Photo courtesy of hudl.com)


Rockford Record AmericanAn intense divisional race heated up

further in Week 8, as the IceHogs took only one of four points from a home-and-home series with the Chicago Wolves, who were able to nip at the heels of Rock-ford’s lead in the Midwest.

The IceHogs started the week with a convincing 6-1 home win over Iowa on Wednesday, before falling to the Wolves 4-3 in overtime at the BMO on Friday and 2-1 on Saturday on the road. Rockford now only sits three points ahead of Chi-cago in the divisional standings.

Week 8 resultsWednesday, Nov. 26, Iowa 1 vs. Rock-

ford 6 Friday, Nov. 28, Chicago 4 vs. Rockford

3 (OT)Saturday, Nov. 29, Rockford 1 at Chi-

cago 2 Bacon Bits

-Rockford had their six-game point streak (5-0-1-0) snapped on Saturday in Rosemont against the Wolves

-In a pair of Midwest Division home-and-home series (Chicago this week and

||| AHL HOCKEY

IceHogs drop a pair to Wolves in Week 8Milwaukee in Week 6), the IceHogs show a 0-3-1-0 record

-In Saturday’s loss, the IceHogs had their penalty kill streak come to an end at 21-straight kills, dating back to the first period of their victory over Iowa on Nov. 21

-The IceHogs have allowed a power play goal in just six of their first 22 games, but have allowed multiple power play tallies in four of those six outings

-Wednesday’s game against the Wild set season-highs in penalty minutes both for the IceHogs (69) and combined (125)

-A total of six fighting majors and six 10-minute misconducts were issued in the game

-Rockford fired a season-high 49 shots on Iowa goaltender John Curry during the 6-1 victory

-Goalie Michael Leighton returned from injury on Saturday and stopped a season-high 39 shots in a 2-1 loss to the Chicago Wolves

-T.J. Brennan has a point in 12 of his last 14 games going back to Oct. 31.

-Brennan has totaled 3g-13a-16pts

and is now ranks tied for third in scoring among all AHL d-men

-Defenseman Ville Pokka recorded a point in all three games in Week 8, totaling 3g-1a-4pts and he now leads all Rockford blueliners with five goals

-Rockford is 7-2-0-1 this season when their opponents score first, a .750 winning percentage

-In the AHL this season, the team that scores first wins .708 of the time

-Rockford tied a team record with nine wins in November as the club went 9-3-1-0

-November was tied for the busiest month of the season for the IceHogs, along with December when they play 13 games

-Forward Jamie Wise scored a goal in his AHL debut for Rockford on Friday

-Fellow Indy Fuel recall Dillon Fournier also picked up his first AHL point on Friday with an assist

Defenseman Ville Pokka, (5g-4a) and was named Hot Hog for Week 8.

The rookie recorded a point in all three Week 8 games including two goals in the 6-1 win over the Iowa Wild.

IceHogs forward James Wise (28) scores his first AHL goal against the Chicago Wolves Friday, Nov. 27, at the BMO Harris Bank Center. Wise and defeseman Dillon Fournier were called up from the Indy Fuel of the ECHL Friday. Fournier had an assist against the wolves in his American Hockey League debut. The IceHogs travel to Milwaukee Thursday, Dec. 4, before a two-game weekend home stand against Grand Rapids Saturday, and the Lake Erie Monsters Sunday. The IceHogs remain in first place in the Western Conference Midwest Division, just ahead of the Wolves. Rockford plays 13 games in December, 11 in January and 10 in February. For tickets and promotions, visit icehogs.com. (Photo by Todd Reicher)

By Jim HagertyRockford Record American

The Rockford IceHogs will be without forward Alex Broadhurst for four months after the forward underwent surgery to repair a fracture in his upper arm suffered in last Wednesday’s 6-1 victory over the Iowa Wild.

The injury occurred when the 2011 Blackhawks’ draft pick was boarded by

‘Hogs’ Alex Broadhurst out four months with arm fractureIowa winger Curt Gogol in the third peri-od. Broadhurst immediately skated off the ice cradling his left arm. The incident then went on to cap a penalty ridden contest with four suspensions. Gogol picked up 30 PIMs in the third period alone and was suspended for two games.

Meanwhile, Broadhurst, 21, underwent surgery Friday to repair the fracture and a dislocated elbow. He has two assists in 15

games for the ‘Hogs this season.Broadhurst tallied 16 goals and 29

assists for Rockford in the 2013-14 cam-paign. The Orland Park, Illinois, native was recalled to the Blackhawks twice last season and was on the radar for a call-up this year as the big club has dealt with injuries in recent weeks.

According to Blackhawks sources, Broadhurst could return as early as April.

Alex Broadhurst tallied 14 goals and 29 assists for the IceHogs last year. (IceHogs photo)


Editor’s note: Following is an installment of Junior Ranger Aida’s Frey’s column, “Keeping up with Aida.” Frey and her family are currently visiting national parks and other historic sites in the American South. Frey, 13, has visited nearly 200 national parks in just four years and is the unofficial ambassador of the U.S. National Park Service.

By Aida FreyJunior Ranger

We left our house (near Chicago) at 5 a.m., and headed for northern Arkansas, our first destination on the way to New Orleans.

Before arriving in Arkansas, we stopped in the southern Illinois town of Jonesboro to see the site of a Senate debate between Abraham Lincoln Steven and Douglas that took place in 1858. There, we photographed statues of Lincoln and Douglas.

We then went to Memphis, Tennessee, to see Sun Studios, the birthplace of rock and roll, where Elvis recorded his first song. Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and many others, recorded there, too. We got at T-shrt and lots of pins and souvenirs. We heard Elvis’ first recording; and I got to hold his microphone that he used to sing and perform.

The next day, we visited Arkansas Post National Memorial. This national park describes how different cultures interacted

with the American Indians and occupied this important area on the Arkansas River in what is now the state of Arkansas. French, Spanish, British, African-American slaves and Indians traded and interacted with each other to survive and make peace. In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson bought this land in the Louisiana Purchase.

Many Indian mounds in Poverty Point, Louisiana were built inside the park. They were all made 3-5 thousands years ago. The largest mound, the Bird Mound, is 74 feet high and was made with four-and-a-half million baskets full of dirt that held 40 pounds each. We watched a very interesting video at the visitor center on

how the Indians built the mounds. This is considered one of the most important American Indian sites and was recently made into a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A World Heritage Site is a place where something significant happened of world importance. These mounds are one of the oldest and the largest in the world that is man made.

The next park we visited was Vicksburg National Military Park in Mississippi. This is the site of a 1863 Civil War battle. Many different kinds of memorials were placed all over the park like statues of horses and soldiers in battle. The Confederates were commanded by General Pemberton, and

the Union was commanded by General Grant. General Grant won this long and bloody battle. After a three month siege of Vicksburg, Grant attacked again and again until he won the battle. Grant needed to win this battle so he could control the river and cut the Confederate military and supply lines in half.

The next day, we went to Natchez National Historic Park in Mississippi. There was a big mansion surrounded by a plantation. This was mostly an antebellum (before the war) plantation, where 30 slaves lived but didn’t have to do hard labor. The slaves didn’t have to do work outside, only inside cleaning dishes, doing laundry, and cooking for the family.

The first park we visited in New Orleans was Jean Lafitte. We met a very nice ranger named Rachel. She took us on a tour to see the Mississippi River and taught us a lot about New Orleans culture and history.

A few blocks away, we visited the Jazz National Historic Park and listened to a piano player. A very nice ranger named Bruce gave me lots of DVDs so I can listen to jazz music back home. We walked in the French Quarter for three days and ate red beans and rice with gumbo, a famous meal made by the people of New Orleans. We also ate jambalaya, po’ boys, and alligator.

Keeping up with Aida: Exploring the South, part one||| NATIONAL PARKS

Junior Ranger Aida Frey outside the Natchez National Historic Park. (Photo by Norma Marin)

Rockford Record American, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2014

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