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WEEKEND FEATURE | ALEX CARTWRIGHT, MORRISON
‘It’s a miracle that he is even alive’ Five years later, Morrison teen deals with effects of lightning strike BY JERMAINE PIGEE jpigee@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5525 @JPigee84
MORRISON – That Alex Carwright is even living today is a blessing, his mother, Diane Williams of Morrison, said. It’s been almost 5 years since Alex, who is now 16, was struck by lightning as he walked home from school. “He was down for 22 minutes without oxygenated blood,” Williams said as she wiped tears from her eyes. “Most people won’t survive 7 minutes. It’s
a miracle that he is even alive, let alone walk, talk and eat.” Although Cartwright continues to say he is fine, Williams said the past 5 years have been challenging. Cartwright still has lingering effects. “He can’t do some of the things the other kids can do, such as ride a bike, unless it has three wheels,” she said. “He can’t play sports or ride a skateboard.” Alex was struck by lightning shortly after 2 p.m. on Aug. 20, 2010, as he walked home from Southside Elementary School
in Morrison with his twin brother, Zach. It was the day before Alex’s 12th birthday. He was wearing his backpack and carrying a skateboard when he was injured in front of the playground as buses were loading up, school officials said. The lightning bolt entered his left shoulder, traveled across his chest and down his right leg before exiting through his right foot, causing burns along the path. MIRACLE CONTINUED ON A9
Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
Alex Cartwright, now 16, holds onto his gifts from Camp I Am Me at his home in Morrison. Cartwright was struck by lightning almost 5 years ago as he was walking home from Southside Elementary School in Morrison. Camp I Am Me is a 1-week camp in Ingleside for teenagers and children who have been injured by burns.
DIXON | DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT
Building a dream brick by brick
STATE LAWS
Not all are ecstatic about ‘new’ happy hour BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
Photos by Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Jim Shriner, of Byron, recently bought a 2,300-square-foot storefront at 214 First St. in Dixon and wants to put a microbrewery there. He has mapped out where he would locate concrete countertops, tanks for brewing, tables, and a wood-fired oven for cooking pizza. Shriner is seeking a brew master, while he and partners are promising to invest in the equipment costs.
Shriner’s mission is to bring a microbrewery to city BY BRENDEN WEST bwest@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5529 @BWest_SVM
DIXON – Development is brewing at 214 First St. For years, Byron resident Jim Shriner, 50, loved the idea of some day owning the downtown Dixon storefront, formerly known as Snow White Bakery and the office of orthodontist Ted Moss. But until recently, he didn’t know exactly what he wanted to do with it. Now, 2 months after buying the 2,300-square-foot space, Shriner says ideas are brimming. After gauging local
business owners and members of the Chamber of Commerce, there was an “overwhelming” consensus for what Shriner should do: This empty brick house could one day contain a microbrewery. “I really just wanted to own the building, because I love the building,” Shriner said. “When I bought it, we started asking the community what they wanted. What did they think the community needed? “The unanimous decision was microbrewery.”
Some storms
VOLUME 7 ISSUE 47 44 Pages
Today: 87/68 For the forecast, see Page A11
LEFT: Shriner plans to use the old door from a dental office in the new microbrewery. The storefront used to be home to the office of orthodontist Ted Moss
The ‘new’ old barn at K’s Korners is opening for business on Galt Road. See Page C1
HAPPY HOUR CONTINUED ON A10
ONLINE EXTRA
Do you brew? If you’re a master brewer interested in launching your brand, Jim Shriner would like to talk to you. Call him at 815-9049447.
MICROBREWERY CONTINUED ON A2
Business
Happy hour drink specials are back after Illinois’ quartercentury ban on the practice was lifted July 15. Now bar and restaurant owners can run drink specials up to 4 hours a day, but not longer than 15 hours a week. Happy hour specials must also end by 10 p.m. Perhaps because of the intense focus on the budget stalemate in Springfield, the happy hour legislation seems to have sneaked up on people locally. The bar and restaurant owners are still assessing the law and trying to figure out how to best incorporate it into future plans, while public officials are working to determine how significant the impact will be. For drinking establishments, liquor specials didn’t go away in 1989, but some of the flexibility in offering them disappeared.
Community SVM Chief Photographer Alex T. Paschal returns to Camp Kupugani in Leaf River for a second installment of his collection of pictures. See Page C12
Grub Hub visits Polo
In his latest “Grub Hub” feature at saukvalley.com, SVM reporter Jermaine Pigee stops at The Pinecricker Cafe for a bite to eat.
Index Births................ C5
Lottery .............. A2
Business........... C1
Markets .......... A11
Classified .......... D1
Obituaries ......... A4
Comics ............. B7
Opinion............. A6
Community ..... C12
Scoreboard .... B10
Crossword Saturday ........... D7
Scrapbook ....... C3
Crossword Sunday ............. C8
Support groups C11
Dave Ramsey ... C1
Weather.......... A11
Dear Abby ........ C6
Wheels ............. D8
Sports .............. B1 Travel .............. C10