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Sweet holiday traditions
DIXON, STERLING RENEW RIVALRY
FOOD, A9
GIRLS BASKETBALL, B1
TELEGRAPH
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
SERVING DIXON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1851
DIXON
VIVA! tied to Chicago group Chief’s statement called ‘ridiculous’ by school attorney BY DAVID GIULIANI dgiuliani@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 525
DIXON – VIVA! Performing Arts School, which has seen
two of its employees charged in a sexual abuse investigation, has ties to a Chicago-based group that has millions of dollars in assets. Dixon-based VIVA! has the same president, Curt Schmitt, as the Canterbury Foundation, which had more than $4.5 million in its coffers in 2012. Canterbury has given grants to VIVA! as well as other groups,
among them The Next Picture Show, another Dixon nonprofit organization. Last week, Tim Boles, the drama director for VIVA!, was charged with failing to report abuse allegations that had been made against Robert Campbell by a former student. Campbell, 31, was arrested Nov. 4 on three counts of aggravated sexual abuse. Dixon
police began investigating Campbell after a former student sent an email alleging the abuse to Dixon Public Schools Superintendent Michael Juenger and other administrators. Juenger reported the issue to police. After the student told Boles about the abuse, officials said, Campbell continued to actively work with VIVA! programs
as well as during private lessons. Boles never reported it to police, authorities said. Campbell was a part-time school employee who worked on performances for the theater department of Dixon Public Schools. The abuse didn’t take place in the public schools, police said. VIVA! CONTINUED ON A2
LEE COUNTY
PREPPING FOR THE HOLIDAYS IN DIXON
Board not ready for night shift 10 wanted to move meetings from days BY MATT MENCARINI mmencarini@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 529
Photos by Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Volunteers decorate a tree in the window of the Dixon Public Library on Tuesday evening. A local donor is donating more than 20 trees that will be put up around the downtown.
ABOVE: Brenna Melvin, 11, of Dixon decorates a tree at the Dixon Public Library on Tuesday evening. With the help of Dixon Main Street and a local donor, more than 20 trees will be put up and decorated throughout the city in time for the 25th annual Christmas Walk on Dec 6 and 7. RIGHT: Young volunteers prepare ornaments Tuesday evening that will help light up the magazine and newspaper area of the library.
WHITESIDE COUNTY
DIXON – The Lee County Board will continue to meet during the day. The board on Tuesday voted 12-10, with two memInside bers absent, Lee Count o a p p r o v e ty Board OKs the meeting another deficit schedule for budget, A4 next year with all day meetings. Tom Kitson, R-Dixon, and Arlan McClain, R-Dixon, were absent. Wes Morrisey, D-Amboy, was the first to raise a concern that the day meetings, which start at 9 a.m., don’t afford residents an opportunity to either run for office or to attend the meetings. “I know there’s pros and cons to when we have our meetings,” Morrisey said. “I don’t think it’s a transparency issue. I think everyone here shows up and represents the county to the best of their ability. The only problem is, when we have daytime meetings exclusively, we eliminate a group of people who could run for this body of governing.” That group is working-class people with families, which make up a large part of the constituency, Morrisey said, adding that only the retired, the self-employed or people with flexible schedules could run for office. Allyn Buhrow, R-Ashton, suggested that the board meetings be moved to night and the committee meetings be kept during the day. NIGHT CONTINUED ON A4
More felony charges filed in Prophetstown fire BY CHRISTI WARREN cwarren@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 521
STERLING – Prosecutors have filed three more counts of criminal damage to property against two half-brothers who are accused of setting a July fire that destroyed
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much of downtown Prophetstown. The boys, 16 and 12, now face 17 counts of criminal damage to property, one count of residential arson, and one count of arson – all felonies. Each of the three new counts pertains to a different
INDEX
tenant of 332 Washington St. who lost property during the fire, Whiteside County Assistant State’s Attorney Carol Linkowski said. On Tuesday, Judge Bill McNeal granted two requests made by the boys’ attorneys – one allowing the 16-year-old
BUSINESS ......... A11 CLASSIFIEDS .......B6 COMICS ............. A12
CROSSWORD....B12 DEAR ABBY ......... A8 LOTTERY ............. A2
to attend youth group meetings with his church, and another so that the 12-yearold may leave his father’s home in Prophetstown to have Thanksgiving at his grandmother’s house. CHARGES CONTINUED ON A2
OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6 SPORTS ...............B1
To attend The Lee County Board next meets at 9 a.m. Dec. 17 on the third floor of the Old Lee County Courthouse, 112 E. Second St. in Dixon. Go to www.LeeCountyIL. com or call 815-288-5676 for an agenda or more information.
Today’s weather High 44. Low 36. More on A3.
Hometown Holidays A13, A14
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