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Summer has been PINK HEALS PUT SMILES season of success ON FACES AT FIRE STATION DIXON, A5
TENNIS, B1
DIXON | CITY COUNCIL
Economics, roadwork on tap City Council considering hotel study, street analysis BY RACHEL RODGERS rrodgers@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5529 @rj_rodgers
DIXON – The City Council is considering undertaking a hotel study that also could double as a tool for other business development.
A hotel group that might be interested in moving into Dixon approached city leaders last year, Mayor Li Arellano Jr. said. Data from such a study could help to nudge the developer’s decision in Dixon’s favor, and also could be used to attract
other businesses, potentially leading to multimillion-dollar projects, Arellano said. “The advantage of something like that is, we would have hard research documented that would look at the need for an additional hotel in the given area.”
To attend The City Council meets at 5:30 p.m. Monday at City Hall, 121 W. Second St. Go to discoverdixon.org or call 815-288-1485 for an agenda or more information. The study would detail the city’s demographics, capacity at its current hotels and other factors. “It could be a very useful tool,” he said.
Council members will hold a work study session on the topic at their meeting Monday. ECONOMICS continued on A44
STERLING
DIXON
Police put a camera right on the money ‘Safe Trade Zone’ didn’t cost city’s taxpayers a dime
Not a trip for chickens Dixon native ending 75-day, 48-state tour promoting mental health
BY KATHLEEN A. SCHULTZ kschultz@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5535 @KathleenSchul10
STERLING – Here’s the scenario: You hook up with some unknown subject on some local online shopping site, agree to buy his rare, moss-covered, three-handled family credenza – which you have been seeking desperately for ages – and he asks to meet you in a parking lot at Fifth and Nowhere at O-dark-30 to make the buy, ‘cuz that’s when he gets off work at the all-night slaughterhouse and anyway, he’s already tossed the credenza in his trunk, got it right here, so if you’d rather, he’d be happy to schlep it on over to your house, so just where is it that you live? Unh-unh. You’re no dummy. You saw “The Craigslist Killer.” No way are you meeting some potential skeev in some dimly lit parking lot. Way, way no way is he coming to your house, free credenza delivery or not. Fear not. The Sterling Police
Submitted photos
Patrick Taylor, 23, of Dixon drives the Chicken Car in Times Square in New York during the Mental Health Awareness Tour, a 75-day road trip that brought Taylor, Nate Perez and Alexander Vassiliadis to all 48 continental states.
BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN cheimerman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5523 CHeimerman_SVM
T
hat wacky Chicken Car has done it again, but not without a lot of effort, TLC, and flat-out guts from its handlers. The unmistakable roosterheaded and -tailed Ford Mustang will roll into downtown Dixon on Sunday for the 36th and final event of the Mental Illness Awareness Tour, a 75-day journey that’s brought light to the touchy subject in all 48 continental United States. “I used to feel like I was alone, and that I was the only one dealing with these struggles,” 23-year-old Dixon native Patrick Taylor said during a Skype interview Tuesday. He bought the Chicken Car for $500 from BBY Chicken in 2010. “After traveling 48 states and connecting with so many people, I don’t feel alone anymore. There’s definitely a mental illness community, and I’m happy to be part of it.” Taylor recently graduated from the University of Illinois with a financing degree with an emphasis in real estate. He and fellow resident assistants Nate Perez and Alex-
The trio pose for a photo opportunity with National Alliance on Mental Illness CEO Mary Giliberti at the group’s convention in Denver in early July. NAMI of Illinois helped the guys get in touch with chapters across the country in order to set up events where they shared their experiences with mental illness.
Welcome home the Chicken Car The Chicken Car and its three handlers, including Patrick Taylor of Dixon, will return Sunday from the Mental Illness Awareness Tour, a 75-day road trip that will have covered all 48 continental states. You can meet them at 1 p.m. at South Hennepin Avenue and West River Street in Dixon. ander Vassiliadis all shared their struggles with mental illness during the MIA Tour. Backed by the state chapter of National Alliance on Mental Illness, they did due dili-
Passing storms
VOLUME 8 ISSUE 48 40 Pages
Department’s got your back, Jack. For exactly zero dollars, the department has created the “Safe Trade Zone” – a well-lighted spot behind the cop shop at 212 Third Avenue downtown – where buyers and sellers can meet and exchange cash and goods under the watchful eye of a 24-7 video camera that comes fully equipped with an armed officer on the other end, eyeballing the whole deal. (Public Works made the sign, and the camera already was there, keeping an eye on the parking lot, so, zero dollars.) Talk about preventive policing. Interim Chief Tim Morgan was perusing a newsletter from the International Association of Chiefs of Police recently when he spotted an item about other police departments that have run with the idea, and then he played against type: “I can’t lie. I stole it. It’s a great idea.” Despite the proliferation of local online shopping and bartering sites, this area hasn’t had many such crimes, although he did hear of a Whiteside County burglary suspected to be the result of one such transaction, Morgan said. Still, people should be suspicious of anyone who is hesitant to meet in the Safe Trade Zone. So, look for the sign, and buy – or sell – with confidence.
Today: 80/61 For the forecast, see Page A13
gence before even hitting the road – calling other states’ chapters and organizing events along their route.
Business
Maker of popular bacon spreads changes its image, grows up. See Page C1
Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
TRIP continued on A34
The Sterling Police Department has created the “Safe Trade Zone” – a well-lighted spot behind the cop shop at 212 Third Avenue downtown – where buyers and sellers can meet and exchange cash and goods under the watchful eye of a 24-7 video camera that comes fully equipped with an armed officer on the other end, eyeballing the whole deal.
Community Attendants at camp take part in program which brings people together with non-digital, silver based film cameras. See Page C12
Index Births................. C5
Lottery............... A2
Business............ C1
Markets........... A13
Classified........... B8
Obituaries.......... A4
Comics.............. B7
Opinion.............. A6
Community...... C12
Scoreboard....... B9
Crossword Saturday............ B9
Scrapbook........ C3
Crossword Sunday.............. C8
Support groups... C5
Dave Ramsey.... C1
Weather........... A13
Dear Abby......... C6
Wheels............ B12
Sports............... B5 Travel............... C10