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FORMER HAWK WILL SAY It’s show time ALOHA TO THE MAINLAND for 4H’ers again WOMEN’S BASKETBALL, B1
PLAN!T, PAGE A10
dailyGAZETTE Thursday, July 14, 2016 n SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
OBITUARY | JEFF LOVETT
Caring you could take to the bank Those who knew him remember Jeff Lovett as man of dedication – to friends, to family, to co-workers BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN cheimerman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5523 @CHeimerman_SVM
DIXON – His wife’s first horse. An angel for his mother. His shoulder for friends. His neck for his employees’ job security. Right up until the moment he no longer could, Jeff Lovett kept giving. One of three regional market presidents of Midland States Bank and a force to be reckoned with for many community organizations, Lovett died Sunday morning after an 11-month battle with bladder cancer. Granted a wish by a social worker with hospice during his last days, he asked to work on the genealogy
he was desperately trying to finish for his family. A lover of history and people, he’d prepared many family stories for those he held dear. The social worker and his oldest daughter, Heather, transferred the project onto a laptop so he could work on it in bed. “He was so happy. He just sat there and smiled a great big smile,” his wife, Lisa, said Tuesday evening, fighting back tears. “Unfortunately, he was only able to work on it a couple of days, until he got too ill.” “He wanted to leave that gift for everyone else, right up to the end,” Jeff’s brother, Don, said. Jeff was originally given 2 to
3 years, but virtually every test came back with the poorest results possible. “Every test, and every report was always negative,” his sister, Joan Tripp, said. “It was always the worst possible scenario. But he’d make you feel like it was going to be OK. He believed with everything he had that he was going to beat it.” With the end near, Joan complimented him on his attitude. “He kind of pushed himself up in the hospital bed he was in, and said, ‘You know, it could be worse,’” she said. “I didn’t know how it could be much worse. “We’ve learned a lot from him.” LOVETT continued on A44
Submitted
Jeff Lovett and his wife, Lisa, are shown at the wedding of their niece, Taylor Henson, at Oak Lane of Oregon. Jeff, a Dixon fixture who was one of three regional market presidents of Midland States Bank, died Sunday morning after a battle with cancer.
LEE COUNTY
DIXON
On the waterfront
A new grant program will help Lee County law enforcement agencies and health professionals in the fight against opioid addiction by donating 156 units of Narcan nasal spray, an antidote used in opioid overdoses.
Opioid battle gets reinforcements Lifesaving antidote donated to county BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier Photos by Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Before the rain dropped in for a visit Wednesday afternoon, a steady flow of visitors could be found along the Rock River in Dixon, whether it was for a leisurely stroll, some sister time, or turning the riverfront into a market place.
ILLINOIS
TOP: Sisters Ashley (left) and Anna Zentz hang out along the Dixon riverfront while checking in on their phones.
GOP: ‘We deserve an auditor general beyond reproach’
CENTER: Silhouetted under the Galena Avenue bridge, a pedestrian walks along Heritage Crossing in Dixon. BOTTOM: Rob Ennenga puts up a canopy on the Dixon riverfront in preparation for the Dixon City Market. The market is open from 4 to 7:30 p.m. every Wednesday through Aug. 3 between Hennepin and Peoria avenues. It showcases a variety of premier, local and specialty food vendors. Beer and wine tastings are sponsored by The Stables.
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INDEX
DIXON – A new grant program will help local law enforcement agencies and health professionals in the fight against opioid addiction. The Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative is teaming up with Adapt Pharma to make 10,000 doses of Narcan nasal spray available to the initiative’s participating agencies nationwide. ANTIDOTE continued on A54
Lawmakers: Mautino should resign BY RACHEL RODGERS rrodgers@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5529 @rj_rodgers
CHICAGO – More than a dozen Republican legislators called for Illinois Auditor General Frank Mautino to resign from public office Wednesday in the wake of investigations into questionable campaign spending during his 24 years as a state representative. MAUTINO continued on A54 ABBY.................... A8 BUSINESS.......... A12 COMICS................B6
CROSSWORD.....B11 LIFESTYLE............ A8 LOTTERY.............. A2
OBITUARIES......... A4 OPINION............... A6 POLICE................. A2
Today’s weather High 84. Low 60. More on A3.
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