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Dukes feel at home SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT in rout of Rockets AT LOCAL PLAYHOUSE MOUNT MORRIS, A5 PREP BASKETBALL, B1
STOP WATCH | TRACKING POLICE ACTIVITY ON LOCAL ROADS
Minorities more likely to be stopped, cited Local numbers reflect statewide trends Photo Illustration by Alex T. Paschal/ apaschal@saukvalley.com
What’s Inside The data on traffic stops of minority drivers by Sauk Valley law enforcement agencies last year. Page A7
What’s Online
Go to http://shawurl.com/2b8a to see more data from the 2014 Illinois Traffic Stop Study, including stop ratio data and yearly summaries, and to see previous years.
BY ANGEL SIERRA asierra@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5695 @_angelsierra
Editor’s note: The traffic stop is one of the most direct methods used by police officers to engage the communities they serve. It is used to curb accident rates, and to keep people and property safe. Here is a closer look at this type of law enforcement strategy in the Sauk Valley, and an analysis of the biggest trends using data provided by the state and local agencies.
Whiteside counties, you’re more likely to get stopped for a moving violation, and more likely to get a traffic ticket. In Lee County, the likelihood is the highest it’s been in 5 years. But it’s not unique. Data show more than half of the area’s police departments stop minorities at rate higher than expected, based on the area’s estimated number of minority drivers, the Illinois Traffic Stop Study shows.
If you’re black or Hispanic in Lee and
DIXON | SKATE PARK PROPOSAL
STOPS CONTINUED ON A7
DIXON | THE CRUNDWELL CASE
$10 million down, $44 million to go Court asked to OK $680,000 settlement of Crundwell’s final asset BY KATHLEEN A. SCHULTZ kschultz@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5535 @KathleenSchul10
Time to pool resources
The Dixon Park District will allow Project GenNex to turn Veterans Memorial Pool into a skate park as part of a youth center it wants to construct. (Photo by Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com)
If donations add up, pool-to-skate-park plan a go BY JERMAINE PIGEE jpigee@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5525 @JPigee84
DIXON – If enough money can be raised over the next few months, teenagers could soon have a new place to hang out in Dixon. Steve WIlson, co-founder of Project GenNex, wants to create a community youth center in Dixon. The community center would include turning Veterans Memorial Pool into a skate park. “We are envisioning a skate park inside the pool,” Wilson said. “We
also want this to be a place for kids to gather and a place to hang out. We want to offer peer tutoring, meeting rooms, counseling, arts and crafts, everything.” Project GenNex is a group of teenagers and adults who aim to bring a youth center to Dixon. Teens like to skate, but they have nowhere safe to do it. “After getting to know the kids, Walmart is their number one hang-out,” Wilson said. “That is pathetic.” SKATE PARK CONTINUED ON A5
How to help Project GenNex donations can be sent to the Dixon Park District main office at 804 Palmyra St. in Dixon. Checks must be earmarked for Project GenNex. Beginning Jan. 4, people also call the Park District’s main office to donate by credit card. Volunteers also will be needed for the project. Interested donors and volunteers can call the Park District at 815-284-3306. For more information on Project GenNex, call Wilson at 847-452-2527. Project GenNex also can be found on Facebook and online at dixonprojectgennex.wix.com/youthcenter.
DIXON – More Crundwell cash is coming Dixon’s way, but unless other assets are discovered, the spigot has run dry. The Justice Department filed a m o t i o n Fr i day in federal court asking it to approve a settleRita ment that will add Crundwell nearly $680,000 to city coffers by Inside resolving Rita What Crundwell’s inter- has been est in Humphrey recouped, Family Farms, a A3 partnership that owns 342 acres of Lee County farmland. “Reaching this agreement with some of the siblings of Rita Crundwell, who had no part in her criminal conduct, but instead became parties to this action due to their sister’s unprecedented betrayal of the trust placed in her by the city of Dixon, closes out one of the last known remaining significant assets in this case,” Jason Wojdylo, chief inspector with the U.S. Marshals Service Asset Forfeiture Division, said in a news release. DOWN CONTINUED ON A3
Sunny
VOLUME 8 ISSUE 16 40 Pages
Today: 32/27 For the forecast, see Page A13
Business
Farmhouse Rustique in Dixon is truly a family business. See Page C1
Community Christmas in the Grove got local residents, and Santa Claus himself, in the holiday spirit. See Page C12
Index Business........... C1
Markets .......... A13
Classified .......... B9
Obituaries ......... A4
Comics ............. B8
Opinion............. A8
Community ..... C12
Scoreboard ...... B4
Crossword Saturday ......... B13
Scrapbook ....... C3
Crossword Sunday ............. C8
Support groups .. C5
Sports .............. B1
Dave Ramsey ... C1
Travel .............. C10
Dear Abby ........ C6
Weather.......... A13
Lottery .............. A2
Wheels ........... B14