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Rivals’ final battle; other Week 8 action
SOME ARRESTS NOT GETTING REPORTED OUT HERE COLUMN, A5
PREP FOOTBALL SECTION INSIDE
ENTERPRISE SERIES | ILLINOIS TOWNSHIPS
For Coloma, money withheld Some townships slow to report finances to public
The problem persists. The county has yet to get this year’s certificate of publication from Coloma, among others at this point. Many government entities fail to get their certificates of publication to the county clerk’s office in time to get their last tax distribution of the year. But most get the problems settled more quickly than Coloma so they can receive their money. The situation with Coloma Township is unusual, Treasurer Darlene Hook said in a recent interview.
Under the Radar: Many townships, little scrutiny
About this series Today’s story is part of a yearlong occasional series about townships in Illinois.
BY DAVID GIULIANI dgiuliani@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 525
ROCK FALLS – Coloma Township is failing to report its financial affairs to the public on a timely basis, documents show. It’s the only township among 44 in Whiteside and Lee counties that appears to have such problems.
Whiteside County is routinely withholding its property tax distributions for Coloma Township because the township fails to publish its financial statement in the newspaper. At one point, the county trea-
surer’s office held back money from three tax years, including all of 2010. The total withheld was $410,942, which the township received in early September 2011 after it published its financial statements from 3 years.
Another reporting problem This is not the only issue with Coloma Township. It also is the only government entity in Whiteside County that has yet to turn in its annual financial report to the state comptroller’s office. The 21 other townships have done so, all but one of which are smaller in population. Such statements give details on the governmental unit’s expenditures and revenues. WITHHELD CONTINUED ON A4
INTERVIEW | WHITESIDE COUNTY STATE’S ATTORNEY
WEEKEND FEATURE| DIXON FIRE DEPARTMENT
Blazing a trail
Philip Marruffo/ pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
Whiteside County State’s Attorney Trish Joyce, at her Whiteside County Courthouse office in Sterling. Joyce, a Democrat, has been in the office for 11 months.
‘Good has outweighed the bad’ Joyce wants to start new programs, save another BY CHRISTI WARREN cwarren@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 521
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Crystal Brasington is the first female firefighter to work for the DIxon City Fire Department. She moved to the area from Houston, and started work Sept. 30. Her first job was at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston, where she was the second female firefighter ever hired. It wasn’t a good experience, she said, and she ended up leaving the job. Dixon, she said, is different, and the department is “amazing.”
Dixon City Fire Department hires first female firefighter BY CHRISTI WARREN cwarren@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 521
DIXON — For as long as Crystal Brasington can remember, she has wanted to be a firefighter. Growing up in Houston, the 31-year-old recalls having firefighters visit her elementary school and thinking how exciting and important their
jobs seemed. Inside “As a kid, I Structure was just like, fires now a they’re cool small fraction and they of calls to always do department, awesome stuff, and I A3 was like, that’s what I want to do,” she said. Now, 10 years after starting her career as a firefighter,
Few showers
VOLUME 6 ISSUE 8 54 Pages
Today: 53/33 For the forecast, see Page A9
she represents a new era for Dixon: She recently became the first female firefighter for the Dixon City Fire Department. “I think it’s cool,” she said. “It’s pretty neat and, in all honesty, this department is amazing.” Dixon isn’t the only Sauk Valley department with a low number of women. Sterling
‘Average’ yields
Area soybean farmers close books on a growing season of extremes. See Page C1
has never had a female firefighter, and Rock Falls has had only one. Dixon Rural, on the other hand, has had five. Brasington’s first job was at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston, where she was the second female firefighter ever hired. TRAIL CONTINUED ON A2
Make a Difference Day Gayle King looks at some inspiring projects Also inside USA Weekend: Four tips to make healthier fast-food choices The Doctors review signs of depression
STERLING – In office 11 months, Whiteside County State’s Attorney Trish Joyce is developing new ways to deal with criminal offenders. “Do I sound like I’ve been busy enough for you?” she said with a laugh, sitting in her Sterling office for an interview on an October afternoon. Joyce, a Democrat, was elected to the office in November, the first fresh blood to hold the job in 3 decades. She took over from Republican Gary Spencer, who actually was her first real boss. The 54-year-old Joyce grew up in Sterling – on West Ninth Street between avenues G and H. Her dad was an electrician at the steel mill, her mom a nurse. JOYCE CONTINUED ON A5
Index Births................C5
Markets ..........A12
Business...........C1
Nation ..............A9
Classified ..........D1
Obituaries .........A4
Comics .............B6
Opinion.............A6
Community .....C12
Scoreboard ......B5
Crossword Saturday ...........D8
Scrapbook .......C3
Crossword Sunday .............C8
Support groups ..C5
Dear Abby ........C6
Weather............A9
Lottery ..............A2
Wheels ...........D10
Sports ..............B1 Travel ..............C10