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Sterling, Newman boys hit the road
DIXON MANUFACTURER SET TOLOCAL, CLOSE SHOP A3
PREP SPORTS, B1 & B3
WEEKEND ENTERPRISE | HEROIN EPIDEMIC IN THE SAUK VALLEY
Tragedy, and treatment Whiteside agencies join local intitiative STAFF REPORT news@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5501
Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
John and his mother Penny Depotter hold a photo and the ashes of her son and his brother, Paul Rodney Depotter, Thursday at Rodney’s apartment in Rock Falls. Rodney, 27, died of a heroin overdose Dec. 6. “He always wanted to be around me; I could never stay mad at him,” John said of his younger brother.
‘A demon walking you on a leash’: Mother, brother of man who overdosed hope story brings change, awareness BY ANGEL SIERRA asierra@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5695 @_angelsierra
ROCK FALLS – The mother and brother of a Rock Falls man who was one of a handful of heroin-related deaths last month hope his story advances a dialogue about illegal drug use, and access to prescription pills and treatment, she says is desperately needed in the community. Paul Rodney Depotter, 27, who died Dec. 6, was the first in a line of at least five fatal heroin-related overdoses over a 2-week
span, says his mom, Penny Depotter, 46, of Dixon. Morphine, a diluting agent often used to “cut” heroin to make it more profitable to sell, was found in his system. Local officials are calling it a heroin epidemic. “His first name was Paul, but I called him Rodney,” she says, stifling tears as she smiles. “I take care of little ones during the day, so I put on that fake front.” The weeks leading to his death were filled with the normal things 20-somethings do. He spent time with family,
entertained his 5-year-old son, and talked about taking up a new hobby – metal detecting with his older brother and best friend, John, 28, who was his shield and confidant. The two survived a turbulent upbringing at the hands of a crack- and drugaddicted father, John says. Sexual, physical, emotional abuse – there were many types. At just 7 years old, John was forced to light his father’s crack pipe, among other sinister things, he said. OVERDOSED CONTINUED ON A5
MORRISON – In response to a local epidemic of heroin use, and several fatal overdoses, the four major Whiteside County law enforcement agencies are joining a program that emphasizes treatment over prosecution. Morrison, Rock Falls and Sterling police and the Whiteside County Sheriff’s Department will join the Lee County Sheriff’s/Dixon Police Department’s Safe Passage Initiative. The program encourages heroin and other opioid addicts to turn themselves over to police, who then will help them get treatment. The new partnership is tentatively set to launch March 1, Dixon Police Chief Danny Langloss said in a news release Friday afternoon. The agencies involved will work together to create strategies for tackling the heroin epidemic in their jurisdictions, the release said. Over the next month, Whiteside County law enforcement leaders will meet with leaders in the faith-based community, at CGH Medical Center and Morrison Community Hospital, the county health department, and with other groups to recruit volunteers to be Safe Passage guides, who will help participants get to treatment centers, and provide follow-up support. INITIATIVE CONTINUED ON A5
THE PEOPLE’S VOICE | DORRY KINGRY, DIXON
Dorry’s story quite a page-turner christopher HEIMERMAN Heimerman is the Enterprise Projects Editor at Sauk Valley Media. He can be reached at cheimerman@ saukvalley. com or 815-625-3600, ext. 5523.
S
ome of the best novels are made by an unpredictable twist. Same goes for the story of Dorry Kingry. For 25 years, she carved out a niche in town, giving private piano lessons to about 70 students. The music didn’t stop in 2007, but a voice accompanied it. “When you hear the voice that tells you, ‘I want you to go back and finish what we started 25 years ago,’ you call up Jon and say, ‘Jon,
Rain, snow
VOLUME 8 ISSUE 19 36 Pages
Today: 33/12 For the forecast, see Page A11
Online extra Click on this story at saukvalley.com to see Dorry Kingry explain how she organizes her students’ Daily 5 activities. would you get the number for Rockford College?’” she said. She did just that, and her husband didn’t balk. He brought home the materials she needed, and almost a quarter-century after the grind of being a performance major at Northern Illinois University stripped her of her desire to finish,
Business
Food banks this year might attract more donations, thanks to a new law. See Page C1
she answered her calling.
Following the leaders Dorry completed her general education degree in 2010, then her reading specialist master’s in 2011. And in the same way Jon is for her, she’s a rock to 26 thirdgraders at Jefferson Elementary School. DORRY CONTINUED ON A9
Community From boat races to windblown fires, 2015 gave us 365 days of photo ops. Photographer Michael Krabbenhoeft shares his favorites. See Page C12
Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
Dorry Kingry, a third-grade teacher at Jefferson Elementary School in Dixon, works on one of her many projects: the book room. She said other teachers chip in, too, but she can be found there many days for hours after school, organizing the one-stop literacy shopping center.
Index Births................ C5
Lottery .............. A2
Business........... C1
Markets .......... A11
Classified .......... B6
Obituaries ......... A4
Comics ............. A8
Opinion............. A6
Community ..... C12
Scoreboard ...... B5
Crossword Saturday ......... B11
Scrapbook ....... C3
Crossword Sunday ............. C8
Support groups .. C5
Dave Ramsey ... C1
Weather.......... A11
Dear Abby ........ C6
Wheels ........... B12
Sports .............. B1 Travel .............. C10