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AND THE YOUTH SHALL LEAD THEM ... FOR A DAY
Newman boys shoot for semis
POLO ‘CITY COUNCIL,’ A5
BOYS BASKETBALL, B1
dailyGAZETTE Wednesday, December 14, 2016 n SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
HOLIDAY CHEER | ROCK FALLS & STERLING
DIXON
Freeze frame:
Body cameras for city’s police might be on hold, pending state legislation BY RACHEL RODGERS rrodgers@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5529 @rj_rodgers
8
IS ENOUGH
St. Andrew Catholic School kids go on a caroling tour of area nursing homes
BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN cheimerman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5523 CHeimerman_SVM
ROCK FALLS – By the end of the tour, 25 students from St. Andrew Catholic School were clearly running on Christmas spirit Tuesday afternoon at Rock Falls Rehabilitation & Health Care Center. It was the closing act of an eightnursing home tour for the first- and second-graders. Arms were flailing. Attention spans became flurries. Yet as resident Betty Whitely sang along, the kiddos leaned on every “wish” of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” with extra emphasis. Then the true holiday magic unfolded. For the eighth time, they made the rounds, each of them wishing each and every resident a merry Christmas. “They’ve looked forward to that at every home, and it’s melted my heart, watching them do this all day,” said first-grade teacher Jennifer Jordan, who came up with the idea for the tour and easily roped in secondgrade teacher Amber Bianchi. Whitely’s heart visibly melted, too.
Photos by Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
TOP: St. Andrew Catholic School first-and second-graders sing “Away in a Manger,” as a resident of Sauk Valley Senior Living and Rehab in Rock Falls signs the words and school principal, Deacon Bill Lemmer, accompanies on guitar Tuesday afternoon. The students toured the Twin Cities, entertaining the residents of eight nursing homes in Sterling and Rock Falls. ABOVE: After their five-song set, the students wished the residents a merry Christmas. “They’ve looked forward to that at every home, and it’s melted my heart, watching them do this all day,” first-grade teacher Jennifer Jordan CAROLING continued on A114 said.
ROCK FALLS
DIXON – Body cameras are on the police department’s wish list for next year, but the project is in a standoff with state legislation. Gov. Bruce Rauner signed off on the Law Enforcement Inside Officer Worn Body Camera Act on Aug. n St. Mary 12 last year, part of a School stularge package of legis- dents had a lation geared toward sweet surprise l a w e n f o r c e m e n t for Dixon and practices. Lee County law The push for body enforcers Tuescameras was spurred day. Read about by national attention it in today’s to officer-involved Dateline Dixon shootings, includ- column, A2 ing the October 2014 incident in which 17-year-old Laquan McDonald was fatally shot 16 times by Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke, who is facing murder charges after video from the shooting was released in November 2015. Under the law, an officer must inform the public they are being recorded, and body cameras must be turned on 30 seconds before an encounter with the public, be able to record for 10 hours, and be on at all times when an officer is responding to a call. The Dixon department has body cameras listed as a project for fiscal year 2018 in the city’s 5-year Capital Improvement Plan that was introduced Monday, but police Chief Danny Langloss said their arrival date might be later. He said body camera requirements are still being sussed out on the legislative level, and it could be wise to wait until there’s a clearer picture for the process. “I’m not for sure if we want to move forward on body cameras just yet,” Langloss said. CAMERAS continued on A74
DIXON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Catch you at the Flip Side Back at square one on facilities plan
BY PHILLIP HARTMAN phartman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5525 @phartman19
Administration to make some recommendations at board meeting
ROCK FALLS – The red-clay color of the walls and woodpaneled support beams gave a warm feeling that offset the subzero winds that whipped past. A Led Zeppelin poster hung on one of the beams, and tunes rolled by while the scent of coffee filled the air – creating a homey ambiance at Flip Side coffee and espresso bar, at 116 W. Second St. While signs aren’t up yet, the café had a soft opening Saturday. “I’m going for a very comfortable atmosphere,” said owner Valerie Howes, 42. Mission accomplished.
BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN cheimerman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5523 CHeimerman_SVM
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Flip Side is a comfortable place to listen to vinyl, drink coffee, and play a game or put together a puzzle. “I want it to feel like you’re going over to a friend’s house to have coffee,” owner ValFLIP SIDE continued on A34 erie Howes said.
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TODAY’S EDITION: 20 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 163 ISSUE 4
INDEX
ABBY.................... A8 BUSINESS.......... A11 COMICS................B6
CROSSWORD.....B11 LIFESTYLE............ A8 LOTTERY.............. A2
DIXON – The day after the referendum to build a new Dixon High School failed was more like Christmas than a day of mourning, at least for Assistant Superintendent Dan Rick. Tonight, administration and the school board will begin discussing how to best use the
OBITUARIES......... A4 OPINION............... A6 POLICE................. A2
gift Lee County voters gave them, and it’s one that keeps on giving: a 1 percent bump to the county sales Dan tax to be used on Rick school facilities. “The discussion at the meeting will be all about developing a new plan for facilities,” Rick said. “To be given an opportunity to do more, there’s nothing more exciting than planning for constructing something. FACILITIES continued on A74
Today’s weather High 18. Low -4. More on A3.
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