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Serving Lee, Whiteside, Carroll, Ogle and Bureau counties Saturday&Sunday, September 3 - 4, 2016 n $2.00
LOOK WHO MADE ITSPORTS, ON ESPN! B1
SEE WHO’S MAKING FAMILY HISTORY DATELINE DIXON, A10
WEEKEND ENTERPRISE | CYBERBULLYING AND SCHOOLS
Prep football? We’ve got you covered If you’re favorite Sauk Valley high school team was playing Friday night, we’ve got news for you! Look to the Friday Night Blitz in today’s edition for a wrapup of all of last night’s action.
ROCK FALLS
Officer fires at suspect
Message sent
Students find penalties can be stiff for bullying, even if it’s done online and not in school BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN cheimerman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5523 CHeimerman_SVM
Expelled. For 2 years. That’s the punishment three Sterling High School students must endure after making threats on social media to harm other students at the school. The trio made the threat, or threats – district officials have declined to elaborate – over summer break. The school district on Aug. 3 reported the matter to the Sterling Police Department, Know the code
Want to read your school’s student handbook? We have links. Page A8
which investigated, then turned its findings over to the Whiteside County State’s Attorney Office, which is determining if charges will be filed. nnn The school board made its ruling Wednesday: The students are out for this school year, as well as the 2017-18 school year, evidence of the severity of the threats. “This is the first time in my 9-year tenure that we’ve expelled a student for this length of time, which is the maximum allowed by the Illinois School Code,” Superintendent Tad Everett said. Both he and Sterling Police Chief Tim
Have a 1-to-1?
See if your district has a 1-to-1 initiative. Page A8
Morgan said the threats did not include how the students would hurt others, only where. “At no point was there access to any weapons, or had they made any attempts to procure weapons, but there was discussion that acts of violence were going to take place at the school,” Morgan said. Because they are minors, neither the district nor law enforcement are releasing their names, ages, or any further information. In fact, during expulsion hearings, students are presented to the board as numbers, without any other information provided that could create bias. BULLYING continued on A84
Reporter’s take
Christopher Heimerman on the message to send to your kids. Page A9
POWER PROJECT | ROCK ISLAND CLEAN LINE ENERGY
Clean Line will appeal court’s permitting reversal BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
Rock Island Clean Line Energy said it will appeal a recent state court decision that dealt a blow to its proposed 500-mile high-voltage power transmission line through several counties in Illinois, including Whiteside and Bureau, and in Iowa.
The project route was to begin in Iowa’s O’Brien County, enter Illinois between Cordova and Port Byron, continue through Whiteside County just southwest of Erie, through the entire north edge of Bureau County, and end in Grundy County. The Illinois Third District Court of Appeals handed down its decision Aug. 10 that
Sunny
VOLUME 8 ISSUE 53 52 Pages
Today: 77/58 For the forecast, see Page A11
reversed an order by the Illinois Commerce Commission allowing construction in the state. In 2014, the ICC had unanimously granted a certificate of public convenience and necessity for the project. Iowa has yet to grant Rock Island Clean Line similar certification for the project. The appellate court’s reversal was based on its opinion
Business
Old Town Pub ‘n’ Grub in Tampico has reopened after closing its doors for about 2 months. See Page C1
that the project doesn’t meet definitions of a public utility under the Illinois Public Utilities Act, and therefore can’t be given regulatory approval. The appeal had been filed by the Illinois Landowners Alliance, made up of more than 300 landowners who oppose the controversial project. APPEAL continued on A24
Community The Farm Hertiage Festival gave a visitors a look back at the machines farmers once used and how much the industry has changed since then. See Page C12
Police: Driver tried to run over officer, remains at large BY KATHLEEN A. SCHULTZ kschultz@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5535 @KathleenSchul10
ROCK FALLS – As of Friday afternoon, no suspect was identified in an incident late Thursday in which a Rock Falls Police officer fired his gun as an SUV tried to mow him down. Illinois State Police are investigating both the shooting and the traffic stop that led to it, Master Sgt. Chris Endress said. Investigators have ruled out the owner of the dark-colored Ford Excursion – he’s already in jail, Endress said – but they do have some leads and interviews are being conducted. The way the event unfurled, though, made it difficult for the officer to get a good look at the driver, he said. According to a news release this morning from Rock Falls police: The officer initiated the stop in the 100 block of East Second Street, but the man didn’t pull over until the 800 block, where he parked his dark-colored Ford Excursion on the north side of the road. As the officer approached, the driver threw the SUV in reverse and struck the squad car, then tried to hit the officer, who “discharged his duty weapon.” SUSPECT continued on A24
Happy Labor Day! Just a reminder that there will be no paper Monday because of the holiday, and Sauk Valley Media offices will be closed. We will resume our normal publication schedule Tuesday.
Index Births................. C5
Lottery............... A2
Business............ C1
Markets........... A11
Classified........... B7
Obituaries....A4&A5
Comics..... B5 & B6
Opinion.............. A6
Community...... C12
Outdoors........... B3
Crossword Saturday.......... B11
Scrapbook........ C3
Crossword Sunday.............. C8
Support groups... C5
Dave Ramsey.... C1
Weather........... A11
Dear Abby......... C6
Wheels............ B12
Sports............... B1 Travel............... C10