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Man arrested for taking tractor on a late-night spin
SVM ATHLETES OFSPORTS, THE WEEK B3
AMBOY, A2
TELEGRAPH
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
SERVING DIXON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1851
DIXON | NEW LEE COUNTY JAIL
Council hears sheriff’s jail pitch Not all members sold on idea of tax increase to fund project BY JERMAINE PIGEE jpigee@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5525 @JPigee84
DIXON – Members of the Dixon City Council agree that Lee County needs a new jail,
but not all of them are sold on the idea of raising taxes to do it, despite the sheriff’s sales pitch. Sheriff John Simonton has been talking about the idea of a new jail to anyone who’ll listen – government agencies, elected
officials, the public. He’s been sharing information, answering questions, doing what he can to gather support for the project. During its meeting Monday, it was the Dixon City Council’s turn.
The Lee County Board and the Lee County Sheriff’s Department are asking residents to vote on a public facilities referendum during the March 15 primary that would add a 1 percent sales tax on tangible goods. “It scares me a little bit,”
Councilman Mitch Tucker said. “By [Sheriff John Simonton’s] projections, [the jail] should be paid off in 5 or 6 years, but the [sales tax] is always going to be there. Taxes always go up; they never go down.” JAIL CONTINUED ON A4
STERLING
LETTING THE FUN FLY IN ROCK FALLS
Growing business is right up city’s alley Banquet venue brings more to Light Street BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
Photos by Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
ABOVE: First- and second-graders at St. Andrew Catholic Grade School in Rock Falls twist, turn and toss during a dodgeball game Monday afternoon. Students get to have some fun this week, in celebration of Catholic Schools Week. On Monday, they showed off their fashion nonsense during Mismatch Day, and had fun playing dodgeball. The game pitted students from different grades against each other. The activities will conclude Friday with an all-schools Mass at Newman High School. RIGHT: Students dodge their opponents’ best efforts to get them out of the game.
STERLING – Champs Bar & Grill owner Denny Strader has been in the bar business for a long time, and along the way, he’s learned to roll with the changes. Strader has owned Champs at 216 Locust for 24 years, and the upper level of the building for 10 years. In that time, a lot has changed in the downtown’s business landscape. “When I first opened, the mill, Lawrence Brothers, and Stanley were going strong, but the bar business isn’t like it used to be,” Strader said. In addition to economic factors, Strader said tougher DUI laws, and a trend toward people spending more time at home have challenged local bars. Downtown revitalization is gaining traction, but in the meantime, Strader has strived to be creative. “The city is trying to clean it up, and bring more interest downtown, but with all of the changes in the bar business, you have to do some different things,” Strader said. His latest venture, with help from girlfriend Jessica Rippy, is the Champs Banquet Venue at 9 E. Third St., in the bar’s upper level. BANQUET CONTINUED ON A10
TAMPICO
He was every member of the team Beloved teacher was a coach, cheerleader – and to friends and family, their MVP
BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN cheimerman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5523 @CHeimerman_SVM
TAMPICO – In every picture, Daryl Smiley lives up to his name – his infectious smile is strung from ear to ear. And if you think that changed as he began to lose his bout with two lung diseases, guess again. One of the last images his wife, Judy, has of him is that of a nurse
entering his room Friday at Unity Point Health in Rock Island – the day before he died at age 76. “She came in to give him a steroid, and he said, ‘I guess I just lost my NCAA eligibility,’” she said. “He was a wart to the end.” He and Judy were married June 1, 1968, in Bloomington. He was a coach and educator in the Sauk Valley for 50 years. TEACHER CONTINUED ON A5
Coaching was a pleasure and a pastime Daryl Smiley loved. And more than just a coach, he was also “everyone’s biggest cheerleader,” said his friend, Tampico Mayor Kris Hill.
More on Daryl Service times – Visitation for Daryl Smiley will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Tampico Elementary School, 304 E. Kimball St. The funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Tampico United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Leanne Keates, pastor, officiating. See Smiley’s complete obituary on Page A4. Online extra – Read this story at saukvalley. com for a student’s fond remembrance of Daryl Smiley.
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TODAY’S EDITION: 20 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 164 ISSUE 193
INDEX
ABBY ................... A7 BUSINESS ......... A10 COMICS ............... A8
CROSSWORD......B9 LIFESTYLE ........... A7 LOTTERY ............. A2
OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6 POLICE ................ A2
Today’s weather High 42. Low 33. More on A3.
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