Dan Klefstad

WNIJ's Community Close-up of DeKalb examines how a community supports its most vulnerable members.

About 44,000 people live in DeKalb.  Another 5,000 students live on campus at Northern Illinois University. The city is also host to a growing number of people who sleep in their cars, on their friends’ couches, or in the county’s only homeless shelter: Hope Haven.

Illinois' purchase of 72 acres in McHenry County marks the beginning of the Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources announced the $511,000 purchase in late February. Director Marc Miller says the money comes from dedicated funds through the Capitol Construction Bill:

This week, the Illinois Senate President hopes to pass a same-sex marriage bill. Democrat John Cullerton wants the upper chamber to approve the bill by Valentine's Day, and send it to the House. Gov. Pat Quinn has said he'd sign SB 10, but the bill faces an uncertain future in the lower chamber.

Internationally renowned poet, Lucien Stryk, died January 24th in London at the age of 88.  Stryk wrote and edited more than two dozen books, including collections of his poetry, and translations of Chinese and Japanese Zen poetry.  He also taught creative writing and Asian literature at Northern Illinois University from 1958 until he retired in 1991. 

Matt Streb is familiar to WNIJ listeners as a political analyst.  But Streb, who chairs NIU's political science department, is also a special adviser to student athletes.

Streb is one of 15 faculty athletics representatives to be honored this year by the National Football Foundation. According to NFF, the reps "played a critical role in the overall educational experience of our country’s student-athletes."