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HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL ASHTON BASEBALL, B1
Students of the Month
Eagle Scout honored
STERLING, A10-11
DIXON, A3
dailyGAZETTE Tuesday, March 24, 2015 ■ SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
DIXON | BOAT DOCKS
SPECIAL SECTION INSIDE
Officials float ideas Plan shapes up, including potential removal site near bridge BY MATT MENCARINI mmencarini@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5529 @MattMencarini
DIXON – The city’s boat dock plan is starting to take shape. A meeting was held Monday afternoon in the community room at the Public Safety Building to talk about the logistics of installing and removing boat docks along
the riverfront. Mayor Jim Burke, Dixon Fire Chief Tim Shipman, Public Property Superintendent Curt Phillips and Water Department Superintendent Rusty Cox attended, among others. Under normal circumstances, the consensus was that the docks would be placed in the spring and removed in the fall. It
could be done using the lower path of the riverfront, where residents can walk. The path was used when the riverfront was built, said Scott Brown, of Wendler Engineering. The biggest safety concern was for when the docks had to be removed during a flood. The safety concern in that scenario, Shipman said, was
floating the docks downstream and across the current to the ramp at Page Park. During the meeting, though, it was determined that the docks could be floated, using cables or ropes, to the west side of the Peoria Avenue bridge and removed. BOAT DOCKS CONTINUED ON A4
Today’s Telegraph includes a 52-page special section, “Directions 2015,” a comprehensive examination of the state of the Sauk Valley. Section C looks at commerce in the Sauk Valley: the workplace, the workforce, agriculture, banking and finance, infrastructure, and transportation. Section D examines the Sauk Valley community: education, recreation, real estate, health care, population trends and local government. SVM staffers also weigh in on the topics throughout the section. To accommodate printing the section, SVM had early deadlines Monday night, before late lottery numbers were drawn. For breaking news, always check saukvalley.com.
STORM BLOWS THROUGH ... IS IT WINTER’S LAST GASP?
DIXON SCHOOLS | ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT
Jefferson principal gets nod Brings 24 years in education to table
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Roy Parker clears a sidewalk of late-season snowfall Monday morning along Peoria Avenue in Dixon. The couple of inches of the fluffy stuff created a tough commute for residents getting to work and school. Another round of precipitation is predicted for this afternoon – at the moment, it’s of the rain variety. In fact, there’s no more snow in the 5-day forecast, which can be found on A3.
BY JERMAINE PIGEE jpigee@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5525 @JPigee84
DIXON – Dixon school officials once again have mined the district to fill a position in the central office. Dan Rick, Jefferson Elementary School principal, was named the district’s new assistant superintendent. He will replace Margo Empen, who is set to become the next leader of the school district. Rick’s first day on the job will be July 1, the same day Empen replaces retiring Superintendent Michael Juenger.
BUSINESS | JO-CARROLL ENERGY
Area energy co-op expands into solar Panels available to subscribers BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
ELIZABETH – A solar farm built by Jo-Carroll Energy has about 25 subscribers and is looking for more. The South View Solar Farm was built in the backyard of the cooperative’s headquarters in Elizabeth, and was commissioned for production in December.
$1.00
More information Call 1-800-858-5522 or visit the Jo-Carroll Energy website, www.jocarroll.com, for more information about the co-op’s solar energy project. The co-op primarily serves Jo Daviess and Carroll counties, but also has a presence in Whiteside and Henry counties. Although its work in renewable energy is new, the co-op dates back to 1939. Its first 20 miles of electric lines were laid for its 60 original members 1 year later. The driving force behind the co-op’s foray into green energy was the people who own
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INDEX
the co-op – its members. “We had a lot of interest in solar from our members, and that was the main reason we decided to do this,” said Kyle Buros, the co-op’s senior vice president and assistant general manager. Its 75 employees now service 26,500 accounts in the four counties, with some members subscribing to multiple offerings that
ABBY ................... A7 BUSINESS ......... A11 COMICS ............... A8
include electric, natural gas, broadband and solar. “We provide services for residential, business and industry, and some farmers,” co-op spokeswoman Peggy Francomb said. Jo-Carroll Energy solar subscribers buy panels at a cost of $890 each. Users share the power produced by the solar farm and receive credits on their monthly bills for their investment in the project. The estimated annual return on average is $48 to $50 in credits per panel.
CROSSWORD....B11 LIFESTYLE ........... A7 LOTTERY ............. A2
Professionally, this is a dream come true. I’m blessed to have this opportunity.
SOLAR CONTINUED ON A5
OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6 POLICE ................ A2
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SUPERINTENDENT CONTINUED ON A5
Dan Rick, Jefferson Elementary School principal
Today’s weather High 41. Low 36. More on A3.
Need work? Check out your classifieds, B6.
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