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Thursday, October 24, 2013
SERVING DIXON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1851
DIXON ADMINISTRATOR
Nord appears to be city’s pick City to make official announcement Friday
and Magic Waters Waterpark. Dixon Police Chief Danny Langloss, a special assistant to the council who has led the hiring process, wouldn’t confirm on Wednesday that Nord was the choice. He expects to make an announcement as soon as Friday. The City Council will meet in closed session at 8:30 a.m. today to discuss final contract terms for the position. Additionally, a background check on the candidate is
BY DEREK BARICHELLO dbarichello@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 526
DIXON – All indications are that David Nord is the final candidate for city administrator. He was village administrator in Cherry Valley for 25 years from 1988 to 2013. A suburb of Rockford, Cherry Valley, with a population of about 3,143, is home to the CherryVale Mall
expected to be completed by Friday, Langloss said. “We want to make sure those two steps are completed, before we make an announcement,” Langloss said. From there, a meet-andgreet town hall meeting will be scheduled next week to give the public an opportunity to ask questions or voice concerns about the candidate, the police chief said. Nothing will be final, however, until the City Council approves the hire at its Nov. 6 council
meeting. Nord was at City Hall on Oct. 8 to meet Mayor Jim Burke. The next day, City Hall closed for an hour, so city staff could prepare for a presentation at the town hall meeting regarding the $40 million out-of-court settlement from its former auditors and bank it said were responsible for former Comptroller Rita Crundwell’s theft of nearly $54 million in city funds, Langloss said. Also, city staff met with the final candidate that day, Lan-
KIDS TOURING LINCOLN-MANAHAN HOME
gloss said. Nord “unexpectedly resigned” in May as village administrator there, according to the Rockford Register Star. A memo from the village president Jim Claeyssen said Nord left to “pursue other interests.” City employees of Cherry Valley are not allowed to comment on past employees, whether it be positive or negative, Village Clerk Dana Ward said Wednesday when asked about Nord. NORD CONTINUED ON A4
DIXON SCHOOLS
Committee to examine future costs for facilities Data will serve as foundation for long-range plans BY DEREK BARICHELLO dbarichello@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 526
Photos by Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
ABOVE: Fourth-grade students from Merrill School in Rock Falls check out the bedroom of Sheriff William Manahan during a tour Wednesday of the LincolnManahan Home in Sterling. On a political trip to the area, President Abraham Lincoln once stayed at the home after delivering a speech. LEFT: Lincoln-Manahan Home volunteer Gloria Grant asks a group of Merrill School fourth-graders if they know how tall Abraham Lincoln was as the group tours the home in Sterling. The Sterling-Rock Falls Historical society is leading tours for students all week.
DIXON
Dixon man charged in police officer dragging Cop recovered from injuries sustained in September incident BY CHRISTI WARREN cwarren@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 521
DIXON – A Dixon man faces 16 charges after a police officer was dragged more than 30 feet from a car as he tried to stop a fleeing suspect. Sgt. Steve Howell, who has
$1.00
been with the Dixon Police Howell more Department for 13 years, than 30 feet was among the officers who before the offiresponded to a Sept. 9 disturcer was able to bance call at a home in the 800 let go. block of Fellows Road. Police say When police arrived, authorthey then purities say, an intoxicated Vinsued McGincent McGinnis, 20, ran toward nis as he drove Vincent his car to drive away. Police north before McGinnis say that Howell, in an attempt he lost control to stop McGinnis from getof his car and ting his car into gear, reached crashed a short time later on inside the car, at which point state Route 2 near Lost Nation McGinnis took off, dragging Road.
TODAY’S EDITION: 28 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 163 ISSUE 124
INDEX
BUSINESS ......... A14 COMICS ............. A11 CROSSWORD....B13
DEAR ABBY ....... A12 LOTTERY ............. A2 OBITUARIES ........ A4
According to Lee County Sheriff John Varga, McGinnis’ car hit three trees at the top of the hill before his car split in half – the engine and dashboard separating from the front seat. Dixon Police Chief Danny Langloss said that Howell suffered a minor knee injury and has since made a full recovery. McGinnis is still recovering from his injuries.
DIXON – A report listing a range of costs for maintaining the school district’s facilities from the bare minimum to “wish list”-type items will be released publicly today. The strategic planning committee, a 14-member group working to create a vision for district facilities covering the next 5, 10, or 15 years, will host a public meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the district office, 1335 Franklin Grove Road. The committee’s goal is to make recommendations to the school board for possible building consolidation, land acquisition and development, and will include cost estimates, federal and state grants, and funding options. The committee will analyze and discuss the data today, and take input from the public. The data will serve as the foundation for the district’s long-range plan. The committee has toured each of the district’s buildings, including outdoor facilities and a security assessment. A tour of Dixon High School caught the attention of some members for the amount of work it might need. For example, its mechanical building has two large boilers operating inefficiently – one of them dates back to the 1956 addition. The strategic planning committee plans to visit the Rochelle school district Oct. 31, which has built new facilities, and another school district of similar size that has invested in its aging buildings over time.
DRAGGING CONTINUED ON A2
OPINION .............. A6 PLAN!T ................. A7 SPORTS ...............B1
Today’s weather High 44. Low 25. More on A3.
COSTS CONTINUED ON A2
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