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Wednesday, March 5, 2014
SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
WHITESIDE COUNTY
‘No-nonsense’ Arduini dies Former chairman was longest-tenured county board member in Illinois BY DAVID GIULIANI AND PAM EGGEMEIER news@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 501
ROCK FALLS – In late 2012, Tony Arduini stepped down as the longtime Whiteside County Board chairman, but he couldn’t leave county government entirely. It was his life.
Arduini, 92, died Tuesday in his Rock Falls home. He served nearly a half-century on the County Board – more than two decades as its chairman. The loyal Democrat hadn’t attended a board meeting in months, although he showed up for some committee sessions.
“He was a man with a big heart and a good sense of humor,” member Bill McGinn, D-Sterling, said in an interview. “He was a legend in the county. He’ll be missed by Democrats and Republicans.” In recent years, Arduini was hospitalized a number of times, but he stayed on top of county business.
In 2012, he decided to run again for his Rock Falls seat, but privately told others that he would step down as chairman. Shortly after his re-election, he announced his intentions publicly. ARDUINI CONTINUED ON A4
Tony Arduini Rock Falls native served nearly a half-century on Whiteside County Board – and more than two decades as chairman
PROPHETSTOWN | DOWNTOWN FIRE
ROCK FALLS | ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING UPDATE
Boy pleads guilty to arson Older of half-brothers says he is interested in fire safety course BY CHRISTI WARREN cwarren@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 521
STERLING – The older halfbrother involved in starting the July fire that burned down much of downtown Prophetstown pleaded guilty to arson Tuesday. In return for the plea, prosecutors dropped 18 other charges against him. Whiteside County Assistant State’s Attorney Carol Linkowski asked the judge to consider compensation for victims of the fire. Whiteside County Associate Judge Bill McNeal set the boy’s sentencing for April 22. The boy turned 17 on Monday. His younger half-brother pleaded guilty to arson at the end of January and was sentenced to 5 years probation – the maximum allowable punishment. As the 17-year-old entered his plea, his mother sobbed quietly as she sat with her fiancé and the rest of the boy’s family. He has been living with his mother in Oshkosh, Wis., and will continue to do so. He has also apparently expressed interest in attending a fire safety course offered by the Oshkosh Fire Department. Judge McNeal agreed with that idea.
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Rock Falls basketball players and fans embrace Tuesday after the Rockets’ emotional, season-ending loss to Mendota at the LaSalle-Peru Regional. The school is mourning the loss of freshman Matthew Anderson, who was killed Saturday morning in a shooting that state police are calling accidental.
Shooting circumstances ‘different’ State police explain inquiry’s secrecy in death of 15-year-old BY DAVID GIULIANI dgiuliani@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 525
ROCK FALLS – State police aren’t treating the investigation into the death of a 15-year-old at a state trooper’s house any differently from others, a spokeswoman insisted Tuesday. The agency has been keeping much of the information about the case under wraps, including the name of
the trooper and the youth who fired the weapon. The victim was Matt Anderson, 15, a freshman at Rock Falls High School. Preliminary results of the investigation show that the shooting was an accident, said Monique Bond, the state police spokeswoman. It happened shortly before noon Saturday, and almost immediately police reported it was an accident.
“The two juveniles who are friends happened to be at the residence of the trooper,” Bond said in a telephone interview. “The other individual is a juvenile. His name isn’t being released. Nor do we release the names of troopers when there is an investigation. That information will be made public. These circumstances are different because it involves juveniles.” SHOOTING CONTINUED ON A5
LEE COUNTY
Dragging death hearing heated
ARSON CONTINUED ON A5
Judge expected to hand down sentence this morning BY CHRISTI WARREN cwarren@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 521
DIXON – At the end of an emotional 3-hour hearing Tuesday, a Lee County judge decided to wait until this morning to sentence a man who pleaded guilty in December to reckless homicide. In June, Keith J. Shomaker, 19,
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dragged Kimberly Landwer with his car for about 20 feet after Landwer reached into the passengerside window. Landwer, 25, fell, hitting her head on the pavement in the 100 block of East Seventh Street. She later died at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria from her injuries.
INDEX
BUSINESS ......... A11 COMICS ...............B5 CROSSWORD....B11
At the sentencing hearing Tuesday, after an hour-long delay because of technical difficulties, the state showed security camera footage that apparently depicted the incident, but the recording file was so small it was difficult to see. DRAGGING CONTINUED ON A2
DEAR ABBY ......... A8 LIFESTYLE ........... A8 LOTTERY ............. A2
More on A3 Keith J. Shomaker 19-year-old pleaded guilty to reckless homicide in December. A Lee County judge will pronounce his sentence this morning.
OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6 SPORTS ...............B1
s 2OCK &ALLS MAYOR SAYS FIXING roads has no simple solution, proposes asking residents via referendum if they would support increasing the sales tax by a half-cent. s $IXON 0UBLIC 3CHOOLS $ISTRICT continues battle with hacker. s 4HE FIRST IN A SERIES OF ELECTION previews leading up to the March 18 primary is on the 16th Congressional District.
Today’s weather High 25. Low 13. More on A3.
Need work? Check out your classifieds, B6.
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