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Sterling, Newman prepped for season PREP FOOTBALL, B1
WORLD TRAVELERS MAKE LOCAL VISITS DATELINE DIXON, A10
WEEKEND ENTERPRISE | ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Things developing rapidly New director in Whiteside creating identity, building consensus in key areas BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
MORRISON – In his fifth month as Whiteside County economic development director, Gary Camarano realizes that success is built through consensus. While he is busy laying the groundwork in several targeted areas, he knows regional unity is
Gary Camarano
the key to executing the department’s plans. “The overriding responsibility in economic development is getting everyone on the same page,” Camarano said. “We have good folks at the county level, at Sauk Valley Community College, in business, our local economic development partners; and as a group, we’re trying to come together.”
Camarano said Northern Illinois University is a huge asset in maintaining a regional focus. Studies such as “Promoting Prosperity in Northwest Illinois,” released in 2013, provided a roadmap for Whiteside, Lee, Ogle, Carroll and Stephenson counties to join forces in revitalizing the region. “Studies like this are very important, and we want to work on projects that make sense to all of us in
WEEKEND FEATURE | MILLEDGEVILLE
On top of the world
the region,” Camarano said. Camarano is a big proponent of one of the recommendations in that NIU study. The Whiteside County Board’s finance committee recently approved his request to enter into an agreement with the Edward Lowe Foundation to participate in its economic gardening program. DEVELOPING continued on A114
LOCAL SCHOOLS
Payan takes lead at St. Anne BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN cheimerman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5523 CHeimerman_SVM
Chuck Uhing rides his giant teeter totter Friday afternoon in rural Milledgeville. The contraption can be operated by a winch, or “simply” by two people riding it. But for safety purposes, it is operated most often using the winch.
Retired welder takes aim at record with giant teeter totter BY RACHEL RODGERS rrodgers@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5529 @rj_rodgers
MILLEDGEVILLE – Chuck Uhing is teetering on the verge of a world record. The 77-year-old retired welder from rural Milledgeville was determined to have his name penned in the Guinness Book of World Records, a concept that has stuck with him during the past decade. When he pegged a record he wanted to break 2 years ago, he started building and kept the project a secret from his family. But the secret didn’t keep for long. After all, it’s hard to hide a giant teeter totter in the backyard. The structure spans 123 feet, stands about 25 feet tall, and the seat’s highest point reaches a little more than 51 feet. “It took me all winter just to think about how to build this,” he said. “I just like to make something out of nothing.” He garnered most of the materials for the project from salvage yards, rummage sales and auctions.
Storms likely
VOLUME 8 ISSUE 51 36 Pages
Today: 77/56 For the forecast, see Page A9
Online extra Go to saukvalley.com to see video from the teeter totter in action on Friday. The current record holder for largest teeter totter is in Sacramento, California – 85 feet long and a peak of 12 feet. Uhing’s wife, Sherry, said he devoted most of his time to the project, day or night. “He would wake up in the middle of the night and go on the internet or start drawing,” she said. “It was something he had to do.” Once the structure was nearing completion, he had only one problem. “It was hard to find someone to ride it,” he said. Sherry was up for the challenge, and passed the time at the top by looking for weeds in the surrounding corn fields. “After all these years, he still amazes me,” she said, adding that they have been married for nearly 57 years. TOP continued on A24
Business
Beach Gal Travel has dropped anchor in a new office in Rock Falls. See Page C1
Photos by Michael Krabbenhoeft/ mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
Uhing waves from the top of his seesaw.
Community There was plenty of horsepower at the county fairs in the Sauk Valley this summer. See what we mean on this week’s photo page. See Page C12
DIXON – Six kids and a little more than 30 years later, Karen Payan’s dream is about to come true. On Monday, school will be in session at St. Anne Catholic School, where Payan, 55, is the new lead administrator – a role she aspired to achieve when she finished her education degree at Western Illinois University. “It’s a dream Karen I’ve had for a long Payan time,” she said. “For so long, it was me on hold, and now it’s me working.” St. Anne approached Payan in June, as longtime principal Sister Marcianne Bzdon was resigning. After a few weeks of wrestling with the decision – whether to leave St. Mary Catholic School in Dixon, where she’s taught religion for many years – Payan accepted the offer July 3. “It just felt like a calling to me,” she said. “This doesn’t feel like a job. It’s a calling.” She’ll still teach math in the afternoons at St. Mary, a class she’s first taking on this fall. She won’t technically be principal at St. Anne until she completes her master’s in administration at St. Ambrose University. That’s right: She’s carrying seven credits at the Davenport, Iowa, school, where she’ll be Wednesday nights and Saturdays. In the meantime, she can carry out all of a principal’s duties except teacher evaluations. Those will be done by her mentor, Kathy Howard, principal at Newman Central Catholic High School and superintendent of the local Catholic schools. She’s also someone who knows a thing or two about what Payan is going through. PAYAN continued on A34
Index Births................. C5
Lottery............... A2
Business............ C1
Markets............. A9
Classified........... B7
Obituaries.......A4-5
Comics.............. A8
Opinion.............. A6
Community...... C12
Scoreboard....... B5
Crossword Saturday.......... B11
Scrapbook........ C3
Crossword Sunday.............. C8
Support groups... C5
Dave Ramsey.... C1
Weather............. A9
Dear Abby......... C6
Wheels............ B12
Sports............... B1 Travel............... C10