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Articles by Kurt Bitting
Huskie Fresh brings meal kits to campus Original
DeKALB —NIU community members now have the option to order premade meals with the Huskie Fresh meal kit program. Huskie Fresh is a collaborative project involving community members and personnel and facilities from Campus Dining Services, the College of Health and Human Sciences and more university departments. Meg Burnham, an assistant professor and nutrition education coordinator on campus, said the meal service is designed to provide easily-made, nutritious, hot meals for NIU community members.
Local business gives residents biggest bang for their buck
The Falling $5, provides name-brand items at high mark-down prices Summer Fitzgerald The Falling $5, 1440 Sycamore Road, is a bin store full of miscellaneous items. DeKALB — Every Saturday, over a dozen residents from the DeKalb community line up outside a storefront in the shopping center across from Hopkins Park, hoping to be the first to find the best deals the day has to offer. Every day feels like Black Friday at The Falling $5.
Editor in chief gets surprise after beating cancer
Kurt Bitting, Opinion Editor January 29, 2021 DeKalb — Editor in chief Haley Galvin received a special surprise from a non-profit group Friday after beating ovarian cancer. Haley has been cancer-free since December, spending her 22nd birthday at her sixth and final chemotherapy session. Haley arrived at the Northern Star’s office in the Campus Life Building, 545 Lucinda Ave., at about 3 p.m. Friday for a meeting.
How it feels to be 20 in this moment
Julio Cortez | Associated Press Police stand Wednesday outside the Capitol after a day of protesters rioting. Kurt Bitting, Opinion Editor January 7, 2021 I wish I could say what happened at the U.S. Capitol building Wednesday was unbelievable; I can’t. I’m not speechless, but the words I do have for this are vastly outnumbered by those I don’t have. Being 20 in this historic moment fills me with this odd mix of anger, disappointment and hope. It’s frustrating to be 20.
Five more students test positive for COVID-19
DeKALB — NIU announced Thursday that five additional students and no employees have tested positive for the coronavirus. One employee and three students have recovered, according to the Campus COVID-19 Dashboard. As of Thursday, 53 students and 10 employees are currently COVID-19 positive. The dashboard’s cumulative testing statistics show a total of 469 Huskies that have tested positive for COVID-19, and 406 have recovered.
Multiple fire departments respond to apartment fire on Hillcrest Drive
DeKALB — Three fire departments are responding to a structure fire at the College Park Apartments Thursday evening. The fire broke out at around 5:30 p.m. Police blocked traffic from the west end of Hillcrest Drive in order for the fire departments to extinguish the fire. City Manager Bill Nicklas is at the scene and said the cause of the fire is still unknown. He said the fire is still burning and firefighters are working to stop the spread.
Three-car collision on Hillcrest and Regent
DeKALB —Police are on the scene at what appears to be a two-car accident that occurred at the intersection of Hillcrest and Regent Drive. Police say that it is a possible three-person crash. No one is currently known to be injured. One person fled on foot. The Northern Star is on the scene and will update as more information becomes available.
University announces 2-week ban on in-person undergrad classes, student gatherings
DeKALB — Undergraduate courses have been moved online temporarily, until Sept. 28, according to a Friday email from NIU President Lisa Freeman. Faculty are allowed to submit requests for in-person class exceptions, and students can check Blackboard at noon Sunday to see if their class has been given that exception. NIU spokesperson Joe King said graduate programs and the law school are unaffected by this announcement.
Instructor denied order of protection against student
Colton Loeb | Northern Star Advocacy and public communication major Roderic Moyer stands outside the DeKalb County Courthouse, 133 W. State St., Sycamore, wearing his cap and gown after instructor Michele Duffy’s request for an order of protection against him was denied Tuesday. Kurt Bitting, Editor in Chief August 12, 2020 DeKALB — Judge Marcy Buick denied an order of protection Tuesday that would have protected instructor Michele Duffy from advocacy and public communication major Roderic Moyer.
Community demands reform at Black Lives Matter town hall
Colton Loeb | Northern Star Senior communication major Trinity Alexander speaks out as Mayor Jerry Smith's tells a story in front of the bandshell at Thursday's Black Lives Matter town hall at Hopkins Park. Kurt Bitting, Editor in chief June 19, 2020 DeKALB — Local Black Lives Matter organizers told Mayor Jerry Smith he was making ‘empty promises’ after Thursday’s Black Lives Matter town hall at Hopkins Park during which the community made demands about police reform.
Professor, university respond to racist posts
Patrick Murphy | Northern Star The School of Theatre and Dance responded Monday to a series of racist posts written by local business owner Scott Almand. Almand's company had sponsored an opening night party for the college and he once taught a welding workshop.
President Freeman addresses students, employees in video message
DeKALB — NIU President Lisa Freeman recorded a personal message for students Friday to share her thoughts with the NIU community. The video begins with Freeman addressing students from her home office. She said the past week has had new experiences for everyone working and learning at NIU. She said the past week has presented the NIU community with new challenges and mixed results, but that it’s worthwhile.
Two DeKalb voter registration locations to be closed
DeKALB — DeKalb County residents may need to find a different location to register and vote in Tuesday's primary election. The DeKalb County Township Building, 2323 S. Fourth St., and the Holmes Student Center's Gallery Lounge will be closed Tuesday "due to unforeseen circumstances," according to the DeKalb County clerk and recorder website. DeKalb County Clerk and Recorder Douglas Johnson said he closed the registration locations due to a lack of staffing.
FAQ: How to vote in the primary election
DeKALB — Early voting is open for the Illinois 2020 primary election. The Northern Star has compiled a list of questions that might come up during the election. When is it? The Illinois primary election will be March 17. The polls will open from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. If you are in line at 7 p.m. you will be allowed to vote. What is the presidential primary? Every state holds a primary election between February and September to nominate candidates for the General Election in November.
Petragallo withdraws from police chief consideration
DeKALB — DeKalb Interim Police Chief John Petragallo withdrew himself from consideration for police chief and is looking to pursue a different career in public service, Petragallo said Thursday. “Arriving at this decision has been extremely difficult,” Petragallo said in a letter to City Manager Bill Nicklas. “This has not just been a career; it has been my life.
HSC to open Saturday
DeKALB — The ground floor of the Holmes Student Center, along with a Starbucks and The Depot, a convenience store, will open 8 a.m. Saturday. Students and alumni will be able to see the results of the Holmes Student Center renovation project that began in the fall of 2018. The university has expedited the opening date to align with Homecoming so students and alumni alike can see the renovated spaces, Dean of Students Kelly Wesener-Michael said.
Halftime update: NIU vs Ohio
DeKALB—The NIU football team trails at halftime to the Ohio Bobcats by a score of 21-10, with Ohio senior quarterback Nathan Rourke scoring a rushing and receiving touchdown. NIU’s offense hasn’t seen much playing time, with only 10 minutes with possession of the ball. The Huskies only touchdown came early in the first quarter off a blocked punt that was recovered by redshirt senior safety Adam Buirge.
Dining hall hours disappoint
When students returned to the dining halls for the fall semester, they found they no longer had around-the-clock access to affordable meals. While dining hall hours have been adjusted since first being limited, the reduced hours of operation create a great inconvenience for students. The university is doing a disservice to its students by limiting dining hall hours. Starting Monday, the dining halls will be opened longer than they were during the first two weeks of the fall semester.
100 word rants: the pros and cons of syllabus week
Pros: Syllabus week is one of the best weeks of the semester. Each class is simply going over the syllabus for the semester and it is a breeze. The endless lecturing hasn’t started yet, and it helps to ease the transition into classes. It is also very helpful to know the professors expectations and assignments for the year. The syllabi always have a tentative schedule and it helps to plan out assignments and mark them in a planner.
Holmes Student Center to open fall, according to university
Students will have access to a revitalized student center as early as November. The Holmes Student Center renovation is on track with its official timeline to be completed during the fall 2019 semester. The project is in its construction phase, and the building has recently seen much progress in its renovation, according to Belinda Roller, director of Architectural and Engineering Services. The substantial completion date of the project is Oct.
Top 10 April Fools' Pranks
There is something special that should be done on the first day of April: finding the right prank for April Fools’ Day. Most know this light-hearted holiday as the day to pull relatively harmless pranks on people for laughs. Do you know about the complex history behind this tradition? The origin of this unique holiday is an enigma, but the most agreed-upon origin comes from 16th century France.
NIU has announced a new provost, executive vice president
President Lisa Freeman announced Thursday Beth Fisher Ingram will take on the role of executive vice president and provost beginning May 16. “We are very excited to welcome Ingram,” Freeman said. “She is an accomplished academic and administrator with a wealth of experience at top-flight public research universities.
Club Feature: Outdoor Adventures Club
President/Leadership: Michael Valle, Seth Geddes Brief description of the organization: The Outdoor Adventures club takes outdoor trips around the country with a variety of activities. We are a group of people who enjoy the outdoors and novel experiences. Are there any requirements to participate? No, but to become a member with benefits it is $20. When and where does this organization meet? Every other Sunday, starting 3:30 p.m. Jan. 20 (Jan. 20, Feb. 3, Feb. 17, Mar. 3, Mar. 24, Apr. 7, Apr.
Staff Feature: Madelyn Anderson
What courses do you teach? I teach public speaking, an honors service learning course business and professional communication, and themed learning communities like career Exploration and sustainability. What degrees have you earned, and where did you obtain them? I received my Bachelor of Music from Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois and my Master of Communication with a graduate emphasis in Women’s Studies from NIU. What is the best piece of evidence you’ve ever been given?
DeKalb campus closed until 5 due to winter weather
Feel free to sleep in because there will be no classes until 5p.m. Wednesday as the university will be closed. Due to a forecast of freezing rain and snow, NIU sent out a weather update text message at 10:45 p.m. Tuesday night stating the university will be closing its main DeKalb campus from midnight until noon Wednesday. The text goes on to say satellite locations will remain open, operating on the regular schedule.
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