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It’s set: Player, coach of year unveiled
BAY VALLEY WANTS WATER RATE RELIEF DIXON CITY COUNCIL, A2
PREP VOLLEYBALL, B1
LEE COUNTY | NEW STATE’S ATTORNEY
Klahn eager to get to work Outgoing leader hopes successor will continue programs BY ASHLEY CADY acady@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5521 @ashleycady_svm
DIXON – The verdict is in: The new Lee County state’s attor ney is human. Matt Klahn, 37, who collect ed about 60 percent of votes in the March primary and wasn’t opposed by a Demo cratic candidate a few weeks ago, took the controls of office Thursday. He, like the rest of us, is eager to see what he can do. Maybe even a touch anxious. “I think no matter how expe rienced you are in the law or anything else, you’re always wondering, ‘Am I really ready
for this?’” Klahn said Friday. “You won’t know that until you get yourself in there and really start working.” He hasn’t yet named his suc cessor in the first assistant state’s attorney role. Scott Holl meyer is the most senior of the assistants, and the only mem ber of the staff not yet in place is Charles Boonstra – who will arrive Monday. Klahn said he’ll first get a feel for the office’s dynamics before naming a first assistant. Klahn said the key to success is to surround yourself with people who will support you – and then listen to them. He said the reputation of the office and local law enforcement will
push him to always try to work harder. Naturally, he has his own pas sions, a strong stance against violent crime and domestic violence among them. But he’s also intent on continuing his predecessor’s effort to best prosecute anyone who steps astray of the law. Opening the door for Klahn to take the reins was Anna-Sac co-Miller’s decision not to run for a second term, announced shortly after she was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol Nov. 15, 2015, in Dixon. She was sentenced to 2 years of court supervision.
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Matt Klahn, 37, of Sterling, is filling big shoes: those of the Lee County state’s attorney. Thursday was his first day on the job, and he’s still feeling out the dynamics of the office before he’ll KLAHN continued on A44 name his successor as first assistant state’s attorney.
EDUCATION | COLLEGE PREP
STERLING
Accelerated program
Hearing, sales tax on docket City asking for levy hike, citing pensions BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
High school seniors Kaitlin Brown (left) of Rock Falls, Chris Rademacher of Polo, and Maura Harrison of Newman Central Catholic, will each graduate from high school with oodles of college credits. In fact, Rademacher and Harrison will have their associate degrees, and Brown will be set to enter the nursing program.
High school students earning dozens of college credits through Sauk BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN cheimerman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5523 CHeimerman_SVM
DIXON – It’s an elementary concept: The fastest route from Point A to Point B is a straight line. When it comes to education, though, Point B is a variable, meaning no two routes are the same. Three fast-tracking high school seniors, all of them taking
Partly cloudy
VOLUME 9 ISSUE 14 36 Pages
Today: 37/29 For the forecast, see Page A11
full advantage of dual-credit opportuni ties through Sauk Valley Community Col lege, were happy to speak to that – even if it was just days before finals week. By the end of the school year, 17-yearolds Chris Rademacher and Maura Har rison, students at Polo High School and Newman Central Catholic, respectively, will have associate degrees in hand. They entered their senior years with 35 and 28 college credits through Sauk,
Business
A lot has changed since Dixon Floral Co. came under new ownership. See Page C1
which has served 4,389 dual-credit stu dents over the past 5 years. In 2014, 871 students were served, and that number jumped to 1,119 in 2015. Kaitlin Brown, 18, will effectively graduate from Rock Falls High School in December – aside from such activities as National Honor Society and cheerleading – and will then enter the nursing program at Sauk. SAUK continued on A44
Community Sloane Wolfe (pictured) and Houston Shlouff turn welded metal and wood into useful yet artistic items for the home and garden. See Page C12
STERLING – Generating rev enue will be the focus of Mon day’s Sterling City Council meeting. Like many cities, Sterling is struggling to keep up with esca lating police and fire pensions, while trying to fund a long list of capital projects, from roads and sewer infrastructure to riv erfront redevelopment. The council meeting will include a public hearing for a proposed 6.06 percent tax levy increase, during which the police and fire pensions will be prominently featured. Nearly 91 percent of the new revenue from the levy increase, if approved, would be used to fund the pensions. “All of our levies have gone up 1 percent or less except insur ance, police and fire,” City Manager Scott Shumard said. SALES TAX continued on A94
Next meeting
A public hearing for the proposed tax levy, and a sales tax ordinance will be on the agenda when the Sterling City Council next meets at 6:30 p.m. Monday at City Hall, 212 Third Ave., in the first-floor Council Chambers. Go to sterling-il.gov or call City Hall at 815-632-6621 for an agenda or more information.
Index Births................. C5
Lottery............... A2
Business............ C1
Markets........... A11
Classified........... B7
Obituaries.......... A4
Comics............ A10
Opinion.............. A6
Community...... C12
Scoreboard....... B6
Crossword Saturday............ B9
Scrapbook........ C3
Crossword Sunday.............. C8
Support groups... C5
Dave Ramsey.... C1
Weather........... A11
Dear Abby......... C6
Wheels............ B12
Sports............... B1 Travel............... C10