Your source for community news and sports 7 days a week.
READY FOR TASTE OF FIESTA?
WARRIORS PREP FOR BIG OPPONENT PREP FOOTBALL, B1
ENTERTAINMENT, A9-12
dailyGAZETTE
Thursday, September 17, 2015
SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
FULTON
Marijuana shop being built The Dispensary seeks staff, patients BY KATHLEEN A. SCHULTZ kschultz@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5535 @KathleenSchul10
FULTON – The Sauk Valley’s sole medical marijuana dispensary is under construction, hiring staff and reaching out to
potential patients. The Dispensary, being built at 1801 Fourth Ave., will serve primarily people in Whiteside, Ogle, Lee, and Carroll counties. Work at the site began in earnest this week, but there’s no
firm date for the 3,150-squarefoot facility to be completed, General Manager Jeff Soenksen said. For now, just the dispensary is being built, he said. MARIJUANA CONTINUED ON A4
The Dispensary
More inside
The Dispensary, 1801 16th Ave. in Fulton, will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Find The Dispensary Fulton on Facebook, go tothedispensaryfulton. com or contact info@thedispensaryfulton.com or 331-684-7425 for more information.
Evidence will be presented at a hearing next month to add eight medical conditions to the list of ailments that can be treated by marijuana in the state of Illinois. Find out how you can weigh in on A4.
COLOMA TOWNSHIP
DIXON
Another report deadline closes in
Butterburgers for life New Culver’s co-owner ‘bleeds blue’
Supervisor still unsure whether audit is feasible BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Kayla Halfacre, 27, is shown in front of the Dixon Culver’s she co-owns, as of last week. Halfacre began working in the restaurant when she was 15 and says she is drawn to the family-like relationship the franchise has with Dixon. BY BRENDEN WEST bwest@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5529 @BWest_SVM
DIXON – For the past 12 years, Kayla Halfacre hasn’t been able to shake her fervor for the Dixon Culver’s. She knew in eighth grade that she wanted to work there. In college, she drove 80 miles round trip every day because she took pride in her role as
shift manager. She started dating a Culver’s co-worker – Tyler – in high school; now they are married and expecting their second child. In many ways, Halfacre associates Culver’s with her upbringing. She started working there when she was 15. Now, at 27, she’s co-owner and she couldn’t be happier. “It just comes down to loving what you do every day,” Halfacre said. “If
DIXON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
you love what you do, it makes it so much easier. And I do. I love what I do. I love the crew that works for me. We’re just a big happy family.” Halfacre last week became franchisee partner with Jason Roe. He’s the same man who steered her toward Culver’s when she was taking Junior Achievement classes in middle school. BUTTERBURGERS CONTINUED ON A3
ROCK FALLS – Coloma Township is preparing its annual financial report for the state, but it is unlikely that an audit will be sent along with those documents. In 2013, the township was fined by the state because it had failed to turn in financial reports for 4 years. The fines had totaled more than $13,000, but were eventually reduced to $3,200. At the time, Debra Burke, former township supervisor, had said she didn’t think the township had done an audit in about 20 years. Burke had been supervisor since 1991, and resigned in May 2014. David Blanton was appointed supervisor 2 months later. COLOMA CONTINUED ON A4
WAVE OF PHOTOS FROM YOUTH DERBY COMING SATURDAY
Lincoln put on market Board OKs budget with ed fund deficit BY JERMAINE PIGEE jpigee@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5525 @JPigee84
DIXON – The School Board on Wednesday voted to put Lincoln Elementary School on the market. According to a resolution approved by the board, officials say the building – closed after the 2013-14 school year to save money – is unnecessary, unsuitable, and inconvenient for the uses of the district.
$1.00
TODAY’S EDITION: 24 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 161 ISSUE 199
“We’ve actually been working with different entities who we thought would be interested in purchasing it outright, and those plans have fallen through,” Superintendent Margo Empen said. “We are now ready to put it out there.” The school will be sold through a sealed bid. Offers must be at least $500, and must be made by Oct. 9. For more information on the bidding process, contact Dave Blackburn, the district’s business manager, at 815-2847722. LINCOLN CONTINUED ON A5
INDEX
ABBY ................... A8 BUSINESS ........... A7 COMICS ...............B7
Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
CROSSWORD....B11 LIFESTYLE ........... A8 LOTTERY ............. A2
NATION/WORLD .. A7 OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6
Today’s weather High 85. Low 68. More on A3.
Izzy, 7, and her brother, Gray, 4, walk with their father, Tim Johnston, to their fishing spot Saturday during the Whiteside County Sheriff’s Youth Fishing Derby at Rockwood State Park in Morrison. The 15-and-under derby awarded prizes for biggest fish and individual efforts. See Saturday’s SV Weekend Community page for more photos.
Barn engulfed Many respond to blaze in Dixon, A2.
TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE PAPER, CALL 815-625-3600 OR 800-798-4085