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Big-inning blues for Sterling in semis STATE SOFTBALL, B1
NURSING HOME IN MORRISON TO CLOSE LOCAL, A5
WEEKEND FEATURE | RUTHIE ROGERS, COLOMA TOWNSHIP
Dad paved the way Highway commissioner succeeds in male-dominated field BY JENNY YOUNG news@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5501
ROCK FALLS – The person who drives the Godzilla of all dump trucks around Rock Falls isn’t what you’d expect. It’s a woman. Her name is Ruthie E. Rogers, road commissioner for Coloma Township and a self-employed aggregate hauler.
The 64-year-old lifelong resident of Rock Falls loves big trucks and hard labor. She holds her own in a male-dominated industry. Rogers is one of only three – maybe four – female road commissioners in the state, according to Jerry B. Crabtree, associate director for Township Officials of Illinois. “[People] think you have to be a man,” he said, “and that’s not right.”
Rogers was surprised when another road commissioner told her the stats. “I was stunned,” she said. “I never would have guessed it was that few.” Industries that include construction and quarrying employ fewer females than any others – 1 percent or less, according to a 2012 U.S. Department of Labor study. COMMISSIONER CONTINUED ON A9
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Ruthie Rogers, a self-employed aggregate hauler, drives her massive dump truck to Emerson Quarry in Sterling. She balances the business with her duties as highway commissioner for Coloma Township.
BOOMING BUSINESS IN THE SAUK VALLEY | E-CIGARETTES
Quitters are winning
THE PEOPLE’S VOICE christopher HEIMERMAN Heimerman is the Night News Editor at Sauk Valley Media. He can be reached at cheimerman@ saukvalley.com or 800-798-4085, ext. 5523.
Kudos to the unmasked mystery man
C
Photos by Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Justin Meyers owns Effervesce Vapors in downtown Dixon along with his wife, Marleny. The e-cigarette store is aimed at those who want to quit smoking, and offers what the Meyerses call a healthier alternative to tobacco. A heating element in the vapor heats the flavor fluid, which turns it into a harmless water vapor, which is exhaled.
E-cigs a popular alternative to traditional smokes BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5570
DIXON – Ranae Bell has smoked for 24 years, and she is finally ready to kick the tobacco habit. But the Ohio woman needs a little help. “I didn’t really smoke a lot, but lately I’ve been smoking more,” she said. “It’s just so expensive now, and I want to quit.” To help her quit, she took a cue from her sister, and decided to try e-cigarettes, equipped with varying amounts of nicotine. Tuesday morning, she was waiting outside the door of Effervesce Vapors, a new vapor cigarette shop at 112 S.
Lots of sun
VOLUME 6 ISSUE 42 44 Pages
Today: 79/61 For the forecast, see Page A10
Peoria Ave., somewhat nervously waiting for it to open at noon. “My sister quit regular cigarettes 2 months ago, and she swears by this,” Bell said. Bell said she had tried her sister’s e-cigs and liked the watermelonflavored juice. Owner Justin Meyers went to work helping her put together a starter kit. For those who smoke about 15 cigarettes a day, the cost is about 60 cents to 80 cents a day, depending on usage, Meyers said. The switch from traditional cigarettes to e-cigs is estimated at $1,600 in savings a year for 1-pack-a-day smokers. E-CIGS CONTINUED ON A8
ross my heart, The People’s Voice soon will revert to its original format. Next weekend, in fact, you can hear from Samantha Ewen about what it’s like to be a technician in the male-dominated wind turbine industry. It isn’t lost on me that this is the second consecutive installment in which the featured subject was not photographed and for which there wasn’t a corresponding podcast. Last week, you might have read about Curt Phillips, the man’s man who runs the Dixon Public Properties Department. This week, you’re about to read about another person who’d rather remain anonymous. Heck, I don’t even know his name. Likely never will. And that’s just how he likes it, methinks. Upon my return from vacation, I got a tip about something special that happened last Thursday at Town & Country Family Restaurant in Dixon. It seems a mom and her two kids had just finished lunch when she realized she didn’t have her wallet on her. PEOPLE’S VOICE CONTINUED ON A4
Online: The List Effervesce Vapors owner Justin Meyers shows how to load the liquid flavoring into the vapor apparatus.
Thanks, Dad
The workbench is a special place for SVM photographer Michael Krabbenhoeft and his dad. See Page C12
‘Tammy’ stars tell all Susan Sarandon and Melissa McCarthy share candid thoughts Also inside USA Weekend: Grilled hanger steak Facts on trans fats Top TV dads
Christopher Heimerman lists 6 reasons you’re likely not watching the World Cup and makes 6 arguments against those reasons. Read online at saukvalley.com.
Index Births................ C5 Lottery .............. A2 Business........... C1 Markets .......... A10 Classified .......... D1 Obituaries ......... A4 Comics ............. B8 Opinion............. A6 Community ..... C12 Scoreboard ...... B9 Scrapbook ....... C3 Crossword Saturday ........... D5 Sports .............. B1 Support groups .. C5 Crossword Sunday ............. C8 Travel .............. C10 Dave Ramsey ... C1 Weather.......... A10 Dear Abby ........ C6 Wheels ............. D8