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THE LITTLE THINGS MEAN A LOT FOR WARRIORS
Second Saturdays returns
SOFTBALL PREVIEW, B1
A9-11
dailyGAZETTE Thursday, March 10, 2016
SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
BUDGET BATTLE | LOCAL IMPACT
DIXON
Charges filed in 2014 death Suspect arrested in Rockford, charged in death of Amboy woman STAFF REPORT news@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5501
Cricket K. Linboom
DIXON – A Rockford woman is in jail, charged in the 2014 death of an Amboy woman. Cricket K. Linboom, 32, was arrested Tuesday at her home in Rockford and charged with drug-induced homicide. Dixon Police Chief Danny Langloss said in a news release that the arrest stems from an investigation that began in June after the death of Tabetha J. Shipman, 29, who died of a drug overdose.
On June 27, Dixon Police responded to a 911 call reporting a female at a residence on the southwest side of Dixon was unresponsive and not breathing. When they arrived, they determined Shipman was dead. An autopsy revealed that she died from an overdose of prescription and illegal drugs. An investigation identified Linboom as the person believed to have delivered the prescription drugs that resulted in Shipman’s death. Linboom is being held in the Lee County Jail on $100,000 bond.
EDUCATION
Happy mad scientists Gooey goop, oobleck, and more ... Students learn the joy of discovery at St. Anne School
Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
Rep. Cheri Bustos tours the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry Wednesday in Sterling.
Hunger pains Lawmaker hears concerns about budget’s trickle-down effect on local food pantries BY RACHEL RODGERS rrodgers@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5529 @rj_rodgers
Photos by Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Chloe Porter, a kindergartener at St. Anne school in Dixon, marvels at the making of oobleck Wednesday afternoon at the school. Once a week, the school holds a special session where the students learn lessons through hands-on learning, such as baking, sewing, creating a school newspaper or science. BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN cheimerman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5523 @CHeimerman_SVM
DIXON – The mad scientist students in the Project Discovery class at St. Anne School have learned that a lot of tough questions get answered in the lab. This morning, they’ll face a doozy: Do they check whether their second crack at creating crystals worked out during recess? It’s important not to overlook an important variable: weather – especially considering recent “data” they’ve collected during recess. “Maybe,” was the greatest level of commitment any of the scientist would offer when asked if they’d pop into the classroom during recess. Kindergarten teacher Marcella Kitson helms the lab, one of several stations for creation that fire up at 1:50 p.m. every Wednesday afternoon. “They just love this time,” said teacher Mary Beth Oswalt as students flocked and headed to classrooms where they’d work on newspapers, drama, baking, and even Lego construction. In the lab, Kitson welcomed her visitors by explaining how experiments work: DISCOVERY CONTINUED ON A7
Sometimes, the hands-on learning at St. Anne School can get a little messy – and fun.
Online extra
Read this story at saukvalley.com to watch St. Anne School kindergarten teacher Marcella Kitson and her mad scientists make oobleck and a density tower.
STERLING – Shelves once fully stocked at the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry were almost bare on Wednesday, and if leaders in Springfield don’t work out their differences, it’s only going to get worse. “As I look at what’s going on in Springfield, I don’t think any of the legislators have ever had to worry about where they’re next meal comes from,” Sterling Mayor Skip Lee said Wednesday. “Places like this are critical to the community, and we’ve come to a point where we can’t exist without them.” Lee, who joined U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., during her visit to the pantry, said food pantries will continue to be strained as those needing assistance continue to face hardships brought about by the state’s fiscal problems. Bustos was in town to visit with several volunteers at the pantry as part of her effort to identify regional challenges, including food security and the effect the state budget impasse is having on clients. The congresswoman said ego and inaction by Illinois legislators will have a long-term negative impact Skip on all regions of the state. Lee “Egos getting in the way of getting a budget passed is disheartening, sad and hurting a lot of people,” she said. St. Vincent, at 7 W. Sixth St., has operated for nearly 6 decades, and today serves more than 1,000 individuals and families in the area. Paul Hess, a retired math teacher who began volunteering at the pantry in 2009, said that during the last 4 years, St. Vincent has seen a 30-percent increase in the number of people requesting food assistance. Hess said those who rely on St. Vincent and other area food pantries have been greatly affected by funding uncertainty in the state legislature. “We’re seeing not only unemployed individuals but many who are living off of Social Security or disability, and there are a lot of working people that just don’t make much money,” he said. In addition to an increasing need for food, the pantry has also encountered a greater demand for financial assistance, the number of people increasing by about 25 percent in the last 3 years. The pantry distributes nearly $2,000 each month in financial assistance. “We find that sometimes we will run out of money half-way through the month,” he said. HUNGER CONTINUED ON A7
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TODAY’S EDITION: 24 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 162 ISSUE 65
INDEX
ABBY ................... A7 COMICS ...............B7 CROSSWORD....B10
LIFESTYLE ........... A8 LOTTERY ............. A2 OBITUARIES ........ A4
OPINION .............. A6 PLAN!T ............A9-11 POLICE ................ A2
Today’s weather High 58. Low 37. More on A3.
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