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Newman defeats ’Bago for title
VIVA! LEADER TURNS HIMSELFDIXON, IN TO POLICE A3
SPORTS, B1
WEEKEND ENTERPRISE | SHAKEN BABY CASE
Looking for closure Nearly 5 years later, Rock Falls family waits for outcome in case BY CHRISTI WARREN cwarren@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 521
ROCK FALLS – Today, Alayna Brandt is just like any other 5-year-old girl. She dances hip-hop, ballet, and tap. She loves to ride her horse. She goes to preschool. “She’s very much a girlygirl,” her mother says, laughing. But for a period of time, her future wasn’t quite as secure. The Brandts were introduced to Karyn McCallister and her
unlicensed Sterling daycare business through a friend. They first enrolled their autistic son, Maison, and then their infant daughter, Alayna. On Feb. 24, 2009, about 3:45 p.m., Ann Brandt got a phone call. “I was at work, and Karyn called the salon,” Ann says. “Since it was practically 5 years ago, the exact wording is hard to recall, but I remember her saying Alayna’s eyes were rolling back in her head, and she was afraid she was going
to stop breathing.” When Ann got to Karyn’s, she took Alayna from her arms. “Karyn was holding her head up, and she gave her to me, and I grabbed her around the trunk because she was almost 5 months old, she was holding her head up, but it just completely flopped backwards,” Ann says. “There was no head control.” She left for CGH Medical Center immediately, unsure of what it meant. CLOSURE CONTINUED ON A4
NELSON
Financing finalized for power project Plant could be biggest taxpayer in Lee County
Philip Marruffo/ pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
Alayna Brandt, 5, with her parents, Ann and Jacob, at their home near Rock Falls.
WINTER WEATHER
A tough go on the roads
BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 570
NELSON – Financing for construction of the long-planned Nelson natural gas-fired power plant has been finalized. A lending group led by General Electric will provide loans for Chicago-based Invenergy LLC to get the 584-megawatt plant operational. One megawatt of power provides electricity for about 1,000 homes. GE is involved in the project on two levels. In addition to heading up the financing arrangement, the company will provide much of the equipment for the plant under a long-term contract for maintenance and engineering services. Included will be two gas turbines and two steam turbines equipped with software designed to improve efficiency and cut operational costs. POWER CONTINUED ON A5
KSB: OPERATION MOVE TO WIN
Healthier holidays for some Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
The eastbound lanes of Interstate 88 near mile marker 35 were closed for a time Friday morning after a tanker truck hauling hazardous materials overturned. A layer of ice greeted commuters Friday morning, making driving treacherous.
Ice makes travel difficult; winter storm on the way BY CHRISTI WARREN cwarren@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 521
STERLING – Freezing rain made for some tough sledding on the roads Friday. With a winter storm on the way, it might get tougher this weekend. At least one person was injured Friday morning when a Sterling Fire Department fire engine, traveling west on Lynn Boulevard, skidded on a patch of ice and hit at least one oncoming car in the process. The engine, which was en route to an accident on Interstate 88, skidded out of control before striking the curb and rolling into a snow-cov-
Weekend forecast A winter storm warning is in effect from 6 p.m. today until 6 p.m. Sunday. Snow will develop in the early evening tonight, becoming heavy, with accumulations of 5 to 9 inches. Winds will gust up to 30 mph tonight into Sunday. ered cornfield about a quarter-mile west of Avenue E. The driver of the oncoming car, Nancy Surdez, 65, of Christi Warren/cwarren@saukvalley.com Lyndon, was taken to CGH Medical Center for unknown Sterling Fire Department personnel work at the scene where a department fire engine skidded, struck a car, then rolled injuries. over in a cornfield on Lynn Boulevard near Avenue E on FriROADS CONTINUED ON A2 day morning.
BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 570
DIXON – Operation Move to Win has a new group of winners. The KSB Community Wellness corporate weight-loss initiative recently finished its second 12-week session. More than 1,400 pounds were shed by 426 employees of 16 participating companies. The initiative launched in January when the first session drew 514 people from 13 companies who collectively lost about 3,000 pounds. The program is the brainchild of Christine Scheffler, KSB Community Wellness coordinator, and Carrie Grobe, KSB Community Wellness dietitian. After wrapping up the program’s first year, they are using surveys to help determine whether the demand warrants one or two sessions a year. HEALTHIER CONTINUED ON A8
Scattered rain
VOLUME 6 ISSUE 17 44 Pages
Today: 31/27 For the forecast, see Page A9
Skate school
Roller skating brings fun and fitness to Lincoln School students in Dixon. See Page C12
Quick gift choices Still shopping for the perfect present? Check out these ideas. Also inside USA Weekend: Whole-grain gingerbread Massage offers many health benefits
Index Births................ C5 Markets .......... A12 Business........... C1 Nation ............ A10 Classified .......... D1 Obituaries ......... A4 Comics ............. B8 Opinion............. A6 Community ..... C12 Scoreboard ...... B7 Scrapbook ....... C3 Crossword Saturday ........... D6 Sports .............. B1 Support groups .. C5 Crossword Sunday ............. C8 Travel .............. C10 Dear Abby ........ C6 Weather............ A9 Lottery .............. A2 Wheels ............. D8