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A TWIN PEEK AT Got your plastic NEWMAN’S GAME pumpkin ready? PLAYOFF PREVIEW, B1
TRICK-OR-TREAT TIMES, A9
dailyGAZETTE Thursday, October 27, 2016 n SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
STERLING | MANUFACTURING
EDUCATION
Assembly required Illinois manufacturers need workers; on Wednesday, students learned what it takes to get hired BY RACHEL RODGERS rrodgers@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5529 @rj_rodgers
Irelynne Wren laughs as she blows bubbles Wednesday in Amber Garza’s kindergarten classroom at Franklin Elementary School in Sterling. The 100-plus kindergartners rotated between five experiment stations, learning about chemical reactions, engineering and more, all part of the state’s learning standards’ push for more STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) experimentation.
Bubbling over with curiosity Science, technology, engineering and math meet the unbridled enthusiasm of youth in Sterling
BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN cheimerman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5523 CHeimerman_SVM
STERLING – In a manner of concluding, kindergartner Levi Rhodenbaugh’s prediction was spot-on. He predicted that when vinegar was added to a jack-o-lantern loaded with baking soda, it would “come to life” in Niki Rivera’s classroom. Other predictions were that it would overflow (winner!) and the ever-popular hypothesis that it would explode. Once the vinegar was added, the chemical reaction truly brought science to life for the 107 stuOnline extra dents who rotated Read this story at through five classrooms doing experi- saukvalley.com ments Wednesday to watch experimorning at Franklin ments and see more photos from Wacky Elementary School. Next door, in Becky Wednesday at Edmonson’s class- Franklin Elementary room, Isabella Shu- School in Sterling. man used a more scientific term for the phenomenon she’d experienced before shuffling next door. “He oozed,” she said. “Oooh, I like that,” Edmonson said. “Ooze is a great science word.” Moments later, Isabella’s eyes lit up, and she giggled hysterically as she lifted her baking soda-filled balloon over a water bottle loaded with vinegar, causing the balloon to inflate. CURIOSITY continued on A24
Vinegar and baking soda produced two things Wednesday: enough pressure to inflate a balloon and one amazed grade-schooler, namely, Sonia Davis, who reacted to the reaction going on inside a water bottle.
STERLING – The routine hum of classroom activity for about 300 Sterling High School students was replaced with the whirring and stomping of heavy machinery producing tons of steel parts. Freshmen fanned out across the city Wednesday, touring manufacturing sites and getting a taste of the state’s $100-billion industry that makes up about 10 percent of the Illinois workforce. Frantz Manufacturing Co. was one stop on the National Manufacturing Day tour for a few dozen students, who saw the ins and outs of production from furnaces operating at 1,750 degrees to bins filling with freshly made steel ball bearings. ASSEMBLY continued on A54
DIXON PARK BOARD
It’s getting just Plum bad Creek erosion becoming a serious issue, putting nearby road at risk BY RACHEL RODGERS rrodgers@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5529 @rj_rodgers
DIXON – The erosion at Plum Creek in Page Park is a problem the Park Board would like solved sooner rather than later, but fixing the issue won’t be cheap. “We’ve got to do something soon, before it’s too late,” board President Shane Miller said Wednesday. Plum Creek receives all of the runoff water from as far off as Lowell Park, and its steep banks have been eroding for years, causing concern for the portion of Page Drive that runs adjacent to the creek. Worst-case scenario, the erosion eventually could cause all or part of the road to collapse, Park District Executive Director Deb Carey said. “It’s pretty serious,” she said. “Every time it rains, it becomes more of an issue, and the entire watershed is an issue.” PLUM CREEK continued on A54
Photos by Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
STERLING
And the winners are … happy! Self Help clients and staff took center stage, accompanied by plenty of smiles, hugs and tears BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
STERLING – Self Help Enterprises clients, families, staff, and supporters filled the Latin American Social Club with emotion Wednesday during the agency’s 48th annual awards banquet. Running the gamut from tears and hugs to huge smiles and shrieks of joy, the event recognizes the achievements of 270 adults with dis-
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abilities who are served by Self Help. The banquet is also a celebration of the tireless work of the staff, board members, volunteers and donors that make those feats possible. “You can just sense the love and joy in this organization, and in this day,” said Brandon Nelson, pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church, as he led the group in prayer. The banquet carried out a pumpkin theme that was highlighted in a message from Self Help Executive Director Carla Haubrich. “Carving a pumpkin is a lot like carving our lives – we use our imagination and wake up every day with the opportunity to start again,” Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com Haubrich said. “We may not always succeed, but Brimming with excitement, Marian “Mimi” VanPelt runs up to we get up again and try the next day.” receive her Special Arts award Wednesday morning at Self Help AWARDS continued on A34 Enterprise’s annual awards ceremony. ABBY.................... A8 COMICS................B6 CROSSWORD.....B11
LIFESTYLE............ A8 LOTTERY.............. A2 POLICE................. A2
OBITUARIES......... A4 OPINION............... A6 PLANIT.............A9-11
Today’s weather High 52. Low 41. More on A3.
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